Freedom?
by Laveda Roial
Summary: Kira is a dog demon trapped in hell, but when a mysterious youkai rescues her, she's not sure if she should trust him. The ultimate battle of egos and full of sarcstic remarks, could this strange relationship between the two dog demons be hidden love?R&R!
1. Chained

Disclaimer:

Snapdragon: (Sits in chair with arms crossed ignoring the page and mumbling incoherently)

Readers (if I have any)? (Blank looks all around( ?

Snapdragon: (mumbles more) Idon'townit

Readers? (More blank looks) ?

Snapdragon: FINE! I DON'T OWN IT! I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM INUYASHA! Even though I want to... But I DO own this story and any characters who AREN'T in Inuyasha...INCLUDING KIRA! YOU CAN'T HAVE HER! Unless you ask me first and I'm allowed to read the story you put her in. smiles sweetly ignore my wild outbursts, they're a common occurrence. (sweatdrop)

A/N: ok ppls...you have to be nice when reviewing, this is my first fanfic...ok maybe not my first, but my first posted fanfic. I'm not sure I'm going to post the other 1 yet, but if I get good reviews from this 1, I might seriously consider it. Have a nice read!

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Kira's knees throbbed dully as she kneeled in the quiet spaces of the room. She watched as angry black droplets of blood oozed from her wounds, stained her skin and collected in a puddle under her legs. She refused to allow herself to cry. Showing weakness would get her no where but deeper into the hellhole she now lived in.

She understood the way what she now called 'the dungeon' worked. The one who had told her to call him 'master' had made sure of that. Kira refused to say anything of the sort and instead called him 'Danshka', the word for underdog, or lowest breed, in the ancient language of her family. She had only ever called him that once out loud before. Though he knew he had no way of knowing what it meant, he had still figured it was an insult and had her properly punished for it.

When she misbehaved, she was sent to a dark room she called 'the void'. There was no light in this room, silence was required, and if you went against this rule, someone was sent in to 'take care of you'. In the darkness of the void, anything could happen, and no one seemed to care what occurred in that room unless someone didn't come out alive.

That was another rule in the dungeon, punishments were allowed to go on for any amount of time, at any degree of pain or humiliation so long as the offender survived. Kira had been lucky the first time she went in there. She had shouted so many obscenities through the door leading into the void, that Danshka had permitted Jex in to give her 'what she deserved'.

The void was a fairly good-sized room, but when you realize how very dark 'pitch black' is, it seems more like the size of an extremely small cell.

Trying to avoid the blows of your 'teacher' could put you in more harm than the blows themselves, Kira had learned that very quickly. She had made it from that first taste of life in the dungeon with only flesh wounds, escaping without any broken bones or internal bleeding. She later learned from Danshka that Jex was well known to take advantage of the captives in the void, telling his laughing companions it was part of their punishment.

Danshka had also told her, during his last visit to her room, that he was her favorite of his prizes and that she was to become his once she graduated. Kira remained silent when he told her this and simply glared at him and spat in his face.

After another visit to the void, he mentioned briefly that was the reason she was his favorite, her angry spirit, in his words, intrigued him and he said he would allow her to graduate earlier than the others so she might be able to retain some of that anger. Kira had ignored him all through his second visit, and the only movement she had made in his presence was to wipe the blood from her nose. She had lived in the dungeon for almost a month and hadn't spoken a word since her first trip to the void.

She had gotten used to the endless routine of this new life and went over it in her head as she kneeled stiffly on her floor. Rest was permitted for five hours a night, after that a guard visited each room in turn to take the captives to the restroom. When she was returned to her chamber, a bowl of a sort of pasty oatmeal and a small glass of milk could be found. The milk was always foul tasting and chalky from the vitamins that were added to keep from malnutrition, and the guard was made to watch you to make sure you finished all of it or to force you if you didn't. Once you finished your 'breakfast' the dishes were taken away and the waiting began. During this time, Kira sat silently in her room, kneeling on the floor and thought. Sleeping wasn't permitted during this time, so she had nothing else to do in the bare stone room.

Kira thought about what might be happening outside the enchanted walls of Danshka's hellhole. Kira knew from her forced conversations with him, that there were two other girls in his captivity.

One was a 297-year-old rabbit youkai who had only been in the dungeon for two and a half weeks before losing her mind. Kira had calculated in her mind and found that the rabbit youkai was nearly twenty in human years, and from her knowledge of usual life lengths, she had barely begun to live.

The other captive was a gazelle youkai who hadn't even reached her 120th birthday, making her younger than eight in human years. Danshka said he was keeping her for his studies. He hadn't told her any more than that.

Kira had heard the little girl's screams for her mother at night, even through her soundproof walls, and Danshka had her removed from the dungeon shortly after she started. Kira doubted the little gazelle was still alive.

Kira herself was a dog youkai, Doberman to be exact. She had already reached her 267th birthday, so she was a little over 17 in human years. Danshka had noted she was in her 'prime' years when compared to human lifetimes, and he wanted to see what made these particular years so great compared to all the rest. That being the reason he had captured her specifically.

Kira smirked at the low ranking Danshka was positioned at in the youkai food chain. He was a half-breed lion youkai, and not a very strong one at that. His human limitations made his youkai strength look like a joke, and though she hated to think she had been captured by a cat, Kira saw his attack on her as cheating.

To catch Kira for his 'studies', Danshka had injected her freshly killed meal with sleeping herbs while she went to get a drink from a nearby river. When she finished eating she had passed out, and that's when he stole her.

During this whole time, Kira had been in her demon form and when she came to, she found a sort of spiked collar around her neck that kept her in her humanoid form and prevented her from reverting to her youkai form.

Kira growled lightly at the thought of all that Danshka had put her through and dug her claws into the flesh of her thighs angrily.

Though Kira was in her forced human form, she still maintained some canine features such as her claws and the sharp fangs in her mouth. In addition to these features, she also had pointed elf-like ears, a long, thin, black tail, two curved black stripes along the top of each eyebrow and on each of her shoulders as well as purple eyelids that covered eyes of the same color, but with specks of gold and black. Similar to that of her canine form, Kira was remarkably slender in build and had long limbs.

She had thought continuously in the waiting time after breakfast that maybe her appearance was what had caught the attention of Danshka, causing him to feel the need to keep her as his whether she agreed or not. But every time she even considered this, she felt sick in the stomach and tried to think about something else.

Kira tortured her mind into staying angry while fighting the need for sleep during the long waiting time. Anger helped Kira keep her sanity in the empty room while at the same time, entertain her with thoughts of different ways to kill Danshka. When the guard came bringing her lunch some hours later, Kira could usually be found smiling evilly from her thoughts of Danshka's downfall.

Lunch usually switched between some very bitter bean soup to a type of meat that Kira couldn't identify. Both were disgusting to the taste, but if you didn't eat it by choice, you would eat it by force. After lunch was finished, the guard would escort you to a type of indoor garden that had no roof. A scratchy blanket lay in one corner of the lawn for sitting on the grass, but other than that, there was nothing to do but lay in the sun. And lying in the sun was exactly what Danshka wanted you to do.

At least fifteen minutes of sunlight a day is necessary when you're trying to hold a creature captive, otherwise lack of the natural warmth and vitamins could deprive something to the whatever of the thingy. Or at least that's what Danshka had told her. Needless to say, Kira didn't really care about anything Danshka told her and rarely listened to anything coming from his mouth. She kept her mind fixed on keeping her mouth shut and avoiding another visit to the void.

Napping was allowed during outside time, so Kira would usually curl up in a sunny patch of grass for twenty minutes before the guard kicked her roughly to wake her up. Both her nap and the sunlight gave Kira new energy, making her feel like she could run on and on for hours without getting tired. But of course, she couldn't act on these feelings without Danshka thinking it was a grand idea to run her until she passed out so she could 'build her strength'. So Kira kept quiet and sedated as she followed her guard through the hallways and down the stairs to her dark, empty, little room. Her jail cell, where she would sit for the next two hours to wait for Danshka to show up and attempt to make a forced conversation with her for what seemed like an eternity.

Though he usually meant to stay with her until night fell, Kira's inability to cooperate with him in his boring dialog had Danshka out after an hour at the most. Once master left, the guard would appear once again at your side to take you to another room, which acted as a sort of bathing area. Hot water could be requested for your shower, but Kira always wanted it cold. The frigid temperatures she asked for the water to be at made all of the guards' wonder if she still had her sanity, but they allowed it just the same.

Kira never took too long when bathing, as she didn't have much hair to wash anyway. In her human form, Kira had short black hair that, no matter what was done to it, always stayed in the same unruly spiked style.

After cleaning herself, Kira was allowed ten minutes to roam master's estate, as long as she remained inside the stone walls surrounding the building and she didn't draw any attention to herself, no one bothered themselves by her presence. Kira would have enjoyed her time out, if the guard hadn't been designated to follow her wherever she went, making exploring the grounds almost like a punishment.

All too soon, you were escorted back to your cell to wait another few hours for a dinner of more unidentifiable meat and some water before you were allowed to sleep for five hours in preparation for starting the whole routine over again.

Right now Kira was waiting for her dinner to arrive so she could eat and go to bed, if you could call the cold stone floor a bed.

She cracked her knuckles absentmindedly as she imagined what it would be like to be free again. It had only been a few weeks since her capture, but her visions of the forest she used to live in and the taste of freedom were quickly dwindling, being overtaken by the darkness that surrounded her now. Kira sighed lightly and stood up, stretching her aching legs.

Leaning against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest, she could see how that rabbit youkai had gone insane so quickly. The statement 'bored out of your mind' summed it up pretty well. Kira sighed again and brought a clawed hand through her spiky hair.

In an attempt to busy herself, she tried to picture Danshka without his head. This image alone brought a smile to her face, but as she pictured his decapitated self scrambling around and crawling on the floor in search of his missing head while Kira held it out of reach, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Outside her locked door, Kira's designated guard heard her laughter and wondered if she had finally cracked. The guard had taken a liking to the dog demon and pondered if he had overestimated her mental strength. As he mulled over this thought, he failed to notice all had gone quiet in the cell he guarded.

Kira stood stock still in the center of her room, eyes wide in something close to fright, and listened with all her might to what was going on in the house overhead. With her demonic sense of hearing she thought she had heard a muffled scream followed by something heavy falling.

With how quiet Danshka usually kept his household, Kira knew something was happening and found her nerves sending jolts of slight panic through her body.

Something was terribly wrong in master's estate and she didn't want to stick around to find out what it was.

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And there's the first chapter! Yes, I know, I know, there's no Inuyasha character's in it yet...but they're coming I promise! Don't kill me! If I get enough reviews from all you readers out there, I'll post the second chapter. It's already written and waiting for you to ask for it. If you have any questions or suggestions about the story feel free to ask! I'm willing to listen! And yes, I'm a girl, someone asked me that and I don't want any confusion...even though my pen name is Snapdragon…You can't use that against me!

Snapdragon: (Glances over shoulder and sighs) I'm busy writing to my beloved fans...can't this wait?

Kira: (Standing over snapdragon, reading 1st chappie over shoulder) no, this can't wait. I need to find out when I ki-

(Snapdragon slaps hand over Kira's mouth to shut her up)

Snapdragon: (Sweatdrop) Hehe, weeeell we can move on now (Kira struggle to free her mouth to talk)

Kira: mmmfpafftshmmftehmm!

Snapdragon: Hush! You'll ruin it! Anyway...sorry 'bout the cliffy! But you have to give me reviews to read more! If I get enough I'll post it by the 10th! Luv to my readers!

Kira: (Mouth still covered) lLumf tfoo dna reedners! Reefeww!


	2. Dogs and dragons

Disclaimer: Snapdragon: Though it kills me to the core of my being…I must admit…(Sighs and lowers head in sadness) I do not own Inuyasha or any character's associated with the show. 

Inuyasha: Damn straight you don't wench! No one can handle the big dog! (Puffs out chest proudly)

Snapdragon: (Rolling eyes Inu while Kagome enters)

Kagome: Oh yeah?

Inuyasha: (gulp) …yeah?

Kagome: (Grinns evilly)

Snapdragon: (waiting impatiently for the fun part)

Inuyasha: Kagome? (Eyes wide)

Kagome: SIT!

Inu: (BOOM!)

Snapdragon: (Rolling on the floor laughing a$$ off)

Kagome: Who's the big dog now?

Inu: (muffled) You're not even a dog dem—

Kagome: SIT!

Inu: (BOOM! again )

Snapdragon: (Turning blue from lack of air because I'm laughing too hard)

Kagome: I'm sorry, who's the big dog?

Inu: (Sighs) (still muffled) You are…?

Kagome: Damn straight! You can continue with what you were about to say Laveda.

Snapdragon (A.K.A. Laveda): (Continues hysterical laughter and fails at all attempts to breathe)

Kagome: (giggles) well since Laveda's a bit…incapacitated at the moment, I guess I'll have to type out the authors notes.

A/N (written by Kagome): Laveda apologizes the last chapter was so short and she asks you to please not hurt her for this reason, she also asks that you enjoy the second chapter of Freedom?.

Kagome: (turns to Laveda, who, ((Yes I know, I have a laughing problem)) is still rolling on the floor laughing like a mad woman) That's all you wanted in your author's notes right Veda?

Snapdragon: (immediately stops laughing) I _TOLD_ you! Don't call me Veda!

Kagome: (giggles) I know…Veda

Snapdragon: Aaaaaaah! (Starts chasing Kagome around and around the room while Inu laughs **_his_** a$$ off, holding himself up on the back of roley chair)

(Chair rolls away suddenly with Inuyasha still on it. Snapdragon stops chasing Kagome to watch.)

Snapdragon: (Sighs) Rini leave Inuyasha alone (Clapps hands and Rini appears out of thin air, pushing the roley chair Inuyasha is on. When she's forced to appear, she stops the chair)

Rini: Awwwwww! You're no fun Veda!

Snapdragon: (clenches teeth at the name) Leave Inuyasha alone for just today Rini, he has to back to the set tomorrow to film more of his show.

Rini: (smiles innocently) Ok

(Then as Snapdragon turns her back…)

Rini: (Pushes roley chair, with Inuyasha still on it, out the door and down the stairs) WEEEEEEEEEE!

Inuyasha: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

(Thump)

I really like these kinds of things too much don't I? Oh well, on with the story…

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Previously…

_Kira stood stock still in the center of her room, eyes wide in something close to fright, and listened with all her might to what was going on in the house overhead. With her demonic sense of hearing she thought she had heard a muffled scream followed by something heavy falling. _

_With how quiet Danshka usually kept his household, Kira knew something was happening and found her nerves sending jolts of slight panic through her body. _

_Something was terribly wrong in Danshka's estate and she didn't want to stick around to find out what it was._

Outside her door, the guard finally noticed the silence inside the little room that the dog demon was kept in, and wondered why she was so quiet all of a sudden.

Then he heard it, a floor up, right above where he now stood; heavy objects were being thrown about the mansion's interior. Hardly giving a second thought to his orders, the guard barreled up the hidden flight of stairs and out of Kira's hearing range.

Knowing the guard had left his usual post Kira struggled not to panic. It wasn't typically in her nature to panic or have any fear at all, but the past weeks had heightened her senses and reflexes, including the sense of foreboding she felt right now. Kira fought to keep control of herself and reached out as far as she could with her hearing, hoping against hope whoever was destroying master's home thought to check the basement before leaving with Danshka's jewels or whatever he came here for.

The empty spaces of her cell filled suddenly with the manic screeches of the rabbit youkai captive and Kira clamped her hands over her ears in an attempt to save them from the piercing screams. She couldn't help but silently thank the rabbit for finally noticing what was going on upstairs; the shrieks that tore from her promised the attention of whoever was in the house. Kira waited with bated breath as the rabbit slowly quieted in her screams and finally let up, giving over to the silence that once again filled the entire building.

Bringing her hands down slowly from covering her ears, Kira once again reached out with her hearing as far as she could. She stood perfectly still as she listened and finally heard what she had been waiting for.

Directly above her and a bit to the right Kira could hear the fall of footsteps. Too quiet to be Danshka or any of his lackeys, she wondered who this person could be.

As soon as Kira heard this strange newcomer open the door that led down to where Kira was held, she immediately put herself in a forced calm. She told herself that she wasn't afraid of this person, and as soon as he opened the door of her cell, she would kill him (or her) and escape to her freedom.

Kira backed against the wall of her cell, on the opposite side of the small room to the door, and readied herself for it to open.

As the footsteps traveled down the stairs Kira felt her heart tighten in her chest, once he opened the door, she would be free! The footsteps reached the bottom of the stairs, and Kira realized she couldn't hear the reverberating sound each of his steps caused on the packed dirt of the basement floor and started to panic, but calmed herself as she felt his presence.

Just by the feeling of his aura in the room, she could tell this was a demon, and a very strong one at that. She shifted slightly as she readied herself for her attack against the newcomer.

Following the flow of his presence as he moved along the hallway leading to her cell she wondered if she would be able to fight in her humanoid form, she had never tried to before. She thought worriedly about this and nearly panicked again, but as she probed the new demon's aura, she realized he too was in his humanoid form. She smirked and waited as he stopped in front of the door that led into her cell.

There was no window to see into the little room, so in order to see what was in the cell, the demon would have to open the door to see what it hid.

Kira's eyes widened in surprise when the demon's aura seemed to pulse and a second later, a small area of the door began to melt, glowing a slight greenish color as though acid was eating through it. Kira tried to figure out what to make of this new occurrence as she backed into a corner.

The acid seemed to be eating away at the metal door faster now and soon a hole the size of a fist was formed. Kira stared at the opening as the scent of the new demon traveled into her cell through it. She sniffed at the air timidly and her eyes widened further as she realized this demon was also a dog youkai.

Outside Kira's cell the newcomer sniffed at the air that poured from the hole in the door and noted this was a female inuyoukai, and from the stench of fear that was coming from her, he realized how very young she appeared to be.

Deciding without much thought, the demon raised his hand to the door lock and once again his aura pulsed. His hand glowed neon green and acid dripped from his fingers, burning holes in the ground where it landed.

Placing one slender finger on the lock of the heavy door, the metal started to burn away from his touch, the acid eating it like an uncontrollable beast. Soon a large hole replaced where the lock had once been, and the demon removed his finger from the door. His aura pulsed once again as all evidence of his acid powers disappeared and he calmly reached to open the door, when an unmistakable growl met his ears.

He wondered fleetingly if he should be releasing her, but dismissed the thought as he pulled open the door and scrutinized its interior. The room was completely made of stone, and without windows of any sort it was extremely dark.

The demon wouldn't lower himself to squint to see inside, and waited for his keen eyes to adjust while he listened to the threatening growls coming from behind the darkness.

After only a few seconds, the demon could see into the room. Its spaces were smaller than he had originally thought, and it was completely bare. That is, completely bare not including the angry female in the corner.

The demon raised an eyebrow as he took in her body language and the bloody glint in her eyes.

Kira stood in the corner of the cell, her tail straight out in an attempt to make herself look larger and her teeth bared threateningly. Her hands were balled into fists and her legs were tensed and ready to snap into action should the demon try to harm her.

Kira had been slightly intimidated when she realized the door was melting because of some strange power this newcomer had and she had hesitated in attacking him for fear he would turn his poisoned claws on her. She had stayed in her corner, but resigned to attack him should he come near her or show any sign of being a threat.

Though she didn't give any sign of her intimidation, she had no problem showing her power and strength. Before the door had swung open she had given a very clear warning to the new demon that she was not one to be messed with and she continued with her warning in the native inuyoukai language, knowing full well he would understand her.

Kira couldn't help but look over the new demon when she saw him. He was… beautiful. His fierce amber eyes glowed in the darkness of the cell and the long silver hair that hung past his waist shined brightly by its own accord. He had pointed ears similar to Kira's and the markings their kind was known to have. But while Kira had black stripes above her eyebrows as well as on her shoulders and purple eyelids, this new demon had two red stripes on each of his cheeks under his eyes and a blue crescent moon on his forehead as well as red eyelids.

He wore a white kimono with patterns of red flowers on the left shoulder and on the ends of his sleeves, white hakamas, and a yellow and blue sash tied around his waist. His black chest plate intrigued Kira and she looked at him a bit closer as she halted her growling. Slung over the new demon's shoulder his tail lay, white and fluffy like a fur boa. Kira was curious and longed to touch it with how soft it looked.

The demon was extremely strong and extremely well poised, with a thin and muscular build under his loose-fitting clothes. Looking him over from top to bottom, Kira decided he didn't look a day older than 350 (23 in human years) and smirked at the thought of her being the one to end his life where it was.

What Kira didn't know was that at the same time she was gazing at the newcomer, he was looking her over in the same way.

As the demon took in her appearance and slender physique, he also took note of how she was dressed. She wore an outfit of a style he had never seen before and wondered if she was a common whore with the way she was, rather scantily, clad.

She had metal bangles permanently fastened around her ankles and wrists and she wore a strange spiked collar around her throat. A thinner bangle similar to the ones around her limbs wrapped around her waist and long strips of a brown fabric hung from it in the front and the back, making the unusual garment look like a skirt that was completely missing the side pieces.

As he puzzled this, he took a glance at her shirt. It was made of the same material as the… bottoms, and this tiny bit of fabric simply wrapped around her torso with nothing to hold it up. The cloth looked a bit like a second skin, and he figured that's what its purpose was.

When Kira noticed how the demon looked at her, she immediately got mad. Who was he to look at her like that? She would put him right.

Dashing from her corner with her demon speed, she leapt into the air with her claws aimed directly at the demon's throat, right before she reached him, she growled in victory, the demon hadn't even tried to move away from her attack! She would win her freedom.

At the last second before she brought her claws crashing down onto the demon, he turned to face her calmly. He smirked slightly and before she even had time to react, he leapt into the air in front of her, grabbing her shoulders and using her momentum against her, pinned her to the far wall, right where she had been standing when he had started to melt the door.

Kira growled low in her throat when she realized he wasn't even trying. Sure he had pushed her against the wall to pin her, but he wasn't even attempting to hurt her. If she wanted to fight, it would have to be fair.

"Why don't you fight me dog? Are you scared a female might beat you." she growled, her voice menacing and full of threat. The demon didn't say anything, but once again studied Kira's facial features, his own devoid of any emotion.

"My name is Sesshomaru, and you will call me as such." His silky answer only upset Kira more, and she struggled in his grasp.

"Well my name's Kira and you won't call me anything at all, because you'll be dead by the time I'm finished with you." She snapped, trying to find some sort of reaction in him from her words. He kept his face blank and seemingly uninterested.

"Such strong words from someone who has her back to the wall."

Kira growled angrily and slashed at his face with her claws. He avoided her easily, but had to release her in the process to keep from getting his face sliced.

Striding away from her with a confidence she loathed, Sesshomaru came to a stop in the doorway, his back to Kira, blocking her exit. Charging at him with a power she never knew she had, Kira's panic kept her angry. He was blocking her way to freedom, and she would get through that doorway if it was the last thing she ever did.

Sesshomaru smirked as he felt her presence behind him and turned to face her a second before she reached him. Just as her claws racked against his sleeve, tearing the fabric, he lifted an arm and grabbed her around her throat. He ignored the spikes of her collar that sunk into his hand and lifted her off the ground so her feet dangled in the air. She kicked him in the chest repeatedly in her frustration, but it didn't do anything because of his protective chest plate.

Though she was being held up in the air by her neck, Kira could breathe almost perfectly. Sesshomaru seemed to be just keeping her away from him, and not trying to harm her at all. Kira couldn't help but be annoyed by this. If she attacked him, he was supposed to attack back, that was the way fighting worked. The way he just threw her efforts back in her face royally pissed her off and made her wonder if he even wanted to fight her.

Working herself into a frenzy of rage, Kira pooled all of the anger she had found in herself in the past month of her tortures and aimed them toward him. If the collar hadn't been preventing her from transforming, she would have, despite the fact the little cell was at least ten times too small to accommodate her demonic size.

Sesshomaru allowed her to get as worked up as she was, and wondered what might have happened to her in this cell to make her feel she had to fight so hard against him. He had to admit he was curious about her and let his mind wander as she slashed again and again at his wrist while he kept his expression one of slight boredom.

When Kira ran out of anger, and energy, she simply hung in his grasp, unable to fight any longer.

Lowering her down slowly so she could sit on the stone floor, Sesshomaru released Kira's neck and stood in front of her, his hand already healing from the wounds her collar had given him.

As she sat there before him, he couldn't help but notice how broken she appeared. She had overexerted herself in her struggle against him, and all of her old wounds had opened, spilling blood and draining her sources. As he looked down on her, curled into herself on the floor, he felt a slight pang of some unknown emotion in his chest. He wondered what it could be, but as he looked at her again, he realized he pitied her. She had gone through so much torture and abuse in this place but had somehow remained strong enough mentally to be able to get angry and to fight him with so much power.

He had held her up by her neck for nearly twenty minutes while she fought with all she was worth against him before she was finally forced to stop from exhaustion.

Though he didn't even know this girl, he felt pride in knowing how much strength she possessed and the willingness she felt to fight anyone who got in her way. Kira looked up into the amber eyes of her opponent and wondered why he hadn't killed her yet; she had lost her battle, now it was his turn to take his victory.

As Sesshomaru looked into Kira's deep purple eyes, he saw so much anger and hate in them, but under that he saw so much sadness and confusion. He had been right when he figured how young she had been, and she looked a bit like a lost puppy, trapped inside a full-grown body. Sesshomaru looked calmly down into her face,

"Can you stand?" he asked calmly, and as soon as the words left his lips Kira's temper returned and her expression hardened in dignity.

"Why do you care, you've won, now leave me be."

Forcing her body to keep going in its fatigue, Kira drove herself to stand, though her legs shook dangerously, she regarded Sesshomaru with a scathing look.

"Move out of my way." She whispered dangerously.

Sesshomaru wondered what she could possibly do if he didn't, but didn't have time to think on it before her legs gave way. Sesshomaru caught her before she hit the ground and lifted her into his arms.

Kira punched against his chest, her own heaving in pain and indignity.

"Put me down!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes slightly and looked down into her glaring eyes.

"You will hurt yourself if you keep fighting the way you do." He said simply, and Kira couldn't help but roll her eyes as well.

"HAVEN'T I DONE THAT ALREADY," she bellowed, hurting her own ears from the volume. "Now put me down!"

Sesshomaru was curious to see how she would be able to move on her own with the amount of energy she had left, but figured if she had enough to yell in his ear like that, she might be able to stand, and he put her on her feet.

Kira fumbled a bit when she was standing on her own, but righted herself before Sesshomaru found the need to help her again. She made her way slowly to the doorframe and leaned her tired self against it.

"Your wounds aren't healing." Sesshomaru pointed out, his voice indifferent, seeing her injuries were still leaking blood.

Demon's had the ability to heal remarkably fast from their injuries, but it looked like Kira still had wounds from almost two weeks ago that still hadn't healed.

"You think I haven't noticed that?" she asked quietly, she tried to sound angry, but when it came out it sounded almost like she was pleading with him.

Her wounds pained her relentlessly, and any movement caused them to start bleeding again.

Kira sighed at the sound of her own voice and turned her back on Sesshomaru, slowly making her way down the hall in the opposite direction of the stairs and her freedom.

Sesshomaru was confused by her actions and followed behind her, curious to see what she was doing.

When she reached the end of the hall she found a door, and facing Sesshomaru said,

"Melt the lock." Sesshomaru didn't take kindly to her demanding tone and glared at her calmly.

"Excuse me?"

Kira's anger boiled up again and she made her way back to Sesshomaru.

"I said, melt the lock." She demanded again, poking Sesshomaru hard in the chest with one clawed finger.

Grabbing her wrist harshly, he threw her to the ground. NO ONE was going to speak to him like that.

Kira started to growl at him, but couldn't find the energy to and ended up with a sigh.

"Look," she started calmly, "there's another girl in there who's been here longer than me, and I'm not leaving without her."

Sesshomaru continued to glare at her, but found her actions to be extremely noble, if not a little pathetic, and turned his attention to the door. As he made his way past Kira, his aura pulsed once again and his hand started dripping acid from his fingertips. Touching the lock, it melted away easily and the door swung open by its own accord.

The stench of a huge amount of blood met both of the inuyoukai's noses and while Kira shrank away from the smell, covering her nose with her hand, Sesshomaru ignored it and was quick to realize what they would find in the chamber.

Kira stood herself back up shakily from where Sesshomaru had thrown her and peered inside the cell. Sesshomaru came to stand next to her as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and he followed her line of vision into the room.

There, in the far corner of the empty cell, the rabbit youkai lay crumpled in fetal position and completely without life.

Blood still poured from the wounds on her wrists and her eyes were wide open and glassy in manic terror. Her mouth was completely covered in her own blood and Kira gasped in realization at what the rabbit had done to herself.

Sesshomaru merely watched Kira's reaction to the sight and caught her as she collapsed again, her hand covering her mouth. Turning away from the cell, Sesshomaru carried Kira back down the hall and up the hidden flight of stairs, with her mumbling to herself,

"That could have been me."

--

Once Sesshomaru reached the outside of the estate, Kira immediately stopped her muttering and took in her surroundings. A lush forest surrounded the outside of the estate walls and the scent of the trees filled the air. Kira fought the urge to cry as she realized she was finally free.

She breathed in the scent of her much missed freedom and smiled gently to herself. Curling her long tail around her waist, she unconsciously nuzzled closer to Sesshomaru before her exhaustion took its toll on her and she passed out, cradled in his arms.

He raised an eyebrow at her pathetic state and adjusted her skirt thing so her legs were completely covered in it, acting as a sort of blanket. Sesshomaru glanced down at her sleeping form one last time before striding into the dense trees of the forest, heading due west.

--

Kira lifted her head from where she was laying and looked around. Her head was throbbing painfully and she felt extremely weak. Groaning a bit, she hoisted herself into a sitting position and tried to figure out where she was.

All around her, massive trees rose toward the night sky and their roots rippled under the soil. A fire was crackling merrily near some ten feet away and a dead pheasant sat off to the side, half plucked and begging to be eaten. Kira's mouth couldn't help but water at the sight of some _real_ food and she moved to get up.

"It would be wise to keep still."

Kira jumped at the voice and Sesshomaru appeared in the little clearing carrying a small deer. Kira crossed her arms and scowled at him but didn't say anything.

Dropping the dead doe near the bird Sesshomaru called out behind him.

"Jaken, come here." Out of a bush nearby, a small toad like demon carrying a wooden staff dashed to his master's side.

"Y-yes, lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer and simply nodded toward his kills. Following his master's line of vision, Jaken understood immediately and waddled his way toward the deer. Using his sharp little claws, the imp skinned the doe and sliced the meat from the carcass.

When his work was finished he dragged the clean bones from camp to bury them before he turned his attention to the bird. He didn't need any scavenger demons following them in search of food.

Kira sat in silence and stared at the flames of the fire, pondering their movements and responses to the wind, hypnotized by the grace and fury the fire held. Glancing up at Sesshomaru then back at the flames, Kira noticed how alike they seemed to be. The fire, held tight within the wall of rocks surrounding it, looked peaceful and tempting to the touch, even when the heat that comes from it might be a bit too much. Only when you add more kindling to the blaze would it push up against its stone keep, intent on conquering its boundaries. Sesshomaru was similar; he kept his true self hidden behind his mask. Like the fire, he radiated power but didn't seem too much of a threat with the calm beauty he possessed. Kira could only guess what he might be like when provoked, but with the personality that he had, Kira seriously doubted it was even possible.

Sesshomaru sat quietly, watching her gaze into the flames and wondered fleetingly what she was thinking. He couldn't help but think how similar to the fire she was. She had so much anger. Angry, like everything that had ever happened to her had turned out badly, like she was fighting against an invincible demon who refuses to return what he took. He hadn't even been with the girl for two days and he felt he already knew everything about her. Her anger feasted and grew off of life in general, just as fire feeds off of the air that makes it grow. She had been stolen from her rightful life and thrown into the hell he had found her in. Life in there had been killing Kira, whether she knew it or not.

Sesshomaru could tell she hadn't always been the girl he now saw before him, she was still angry yes, but she was broken. Her fears forced her to believe she had no other choice, that she was trapped. She _had _been trapped. The walls that had confined her in her cell under the estate had cut off her air supply, cut off the air which she needed to keep the fire inside her stable, growing, and alive. He could tell by looking in her eyes, that before her capture she had known nothing of fear or doubt, she had lived a life untainted by those useless emotions, and now that she had finally discovered their existence, her very soul cried out in refusal.

Kira was oblivious to Sesshomaru's eyes on her and simply sighed, tucking her legs under her and trying to figure out how long she had been asleep. She was fiercely hungry and her stomach clearly made its need known, rather obnoxiously in Kira's opinion.

Sesshomaru was still watching Kira and noted with a bit of unease that her wounds were still bleeding, despite the fact that it had been more than two days since she had gotten any of them. Remembering something his father had told him, Sesshomaru stood and made his way over to Kira. She shifted a bit and watched him suspiciously. Sesshomaru sat down next to her and pressed a finger to a deep wound on her thigh. He had barely brushed against it, but Kira couldn't help but cry out from the intense pain his simple touch brought.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Kira shouted, aiming a slashing blow to his face.

Sesshomaru slid away from her attack easily, because of her inability to get up without aid, and came to stand in front of her. A single drop of blood rested on the tip of his finger, the finger he had laid against her wound. He sniffed lightly at the blood and Kira's scent filled his nostrils, as well as something else. Nodding to himself, Sesshomaru looked back at Kira, who was still glaring at him.

"What did they feed you there?"

Though she was still angry with him, she couldn't help the flash of fear that passed over her features at the mention of the estate. She recovered quickly however and covered her fear with skepticism.

"Why?"

Sesshomaru was irritated by her ignorance and didn't reply, instead flicking her blood off his finger with a practiced laziness. Kira sighed in a sense of defeat.

"Oatmeal and milk for breakfast, soup or meat for lunch, and meat and water for dinner. That's all Iwas ever given."

Kira fixed Sesshomaru with a questioning look, cocking her head slightly to the side as though sizing him up.

"I don't get what knowing what I ate will tell you, but it's kind of hard to give an answer when I don't even understand the question."

Sesshomaru ignored her comment and instead asked another question, keeping his voice as steady as it always was.

"What was the meat that they gave you?"

Kira shrugged.

"I don't know, it wasn't exactly the best tasting food in the world, but it wasn't exactly my choice if I ate it or not."

The subject of their conversation was effecting Kira deeply, but she tried not to show it, and forced her hands to keep from fidgeting. Her life in the dungeon was the last thing Kira ever wanted to talk about, and yet here she was, talking about it, and with Sesshomaru of all people. The more he asked of her, the more she felt like she was being led into a trap, and she did _not _like that feeling.

Sesshomaru could sense her unease and though he tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but try to get straight to the point.

"Tell me, what did this meat look like?" His tone suggested boredom, but Kira caught the slight waver of interest and a bit of concern under it.

"It looked pretty normal to me. I was always given it raw, and I noticed that the muscle patterns were different. I don't know if that means anything to you, but that's all I got on the subject."

Sesshomaru waited for her to continue explaining and Kira caught the hint with a very obvious roll of her eyes.

"Honestly, can't you ask a straight out question, instead of waiting for whoever you're questioning to keep talking until you get the answer you're looking for?"

At Sesshomaru's silence, Kira sighed.

"Obviously not. Well then, the muscles were thicker and almost wavy in pattern compared to all the other types of meat I've ever seen."

"Blood dragon meat." He said, more to himself than Kira. After waiting a while for him to finish his thought, Kira sighed.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me, or was I not meant to hear you talking to yourself?"

Sesshomaru moved in a flash, and before Kira could react he was right in her face, not a foot away from her. Kira gasped and he smirked in her surprise.

"That is what they fed you." He stated simply.

Kira didn't need to ask who _they_ were, and Sesshomaru figured as much with the way her eyes flashed with some strange emotion that she covered before he could find out what it was. He raised an eyebrow and stood to make his way back to the other side of the fire.

Jaken had returned from burying the deer's bone more than ten minutes ago and he now sat quietly plucking the pheasant, not wanting to get involved with his master's and Kira's conversation. There was something about the female demon that he didn't trust, he thought of her as the wolf in sheep's clothing so to say. Jaken knew she wasn't as harmless as she might look, he had seen the damage she had done to his master's arm in the estate when he had joined him outside the enchanted building's walls after Kira had fallen asleep. Jaken didn't question the power she held, and to him it seemed thatwith a bit of training, she might be able to rival his master in rank.

Kira's eyes widened in understanding at Sesshomaru's words. No wonder her wounds weren't healing, if those bastard's had fed her the meat of a blood dragon.

Blood dragons are extremely fierce and majestic creatures. They hold power over humans and demons alike. There are two different families or variations of blood dragons. On one side there were the dragons who used their abilities to help the other species' they shared their lands with, while the others used their powers to kill off entire tribes or villages for fun. Both of these families hold the same powers over blood and life force and were exactlythe same in appearances, but the differentiating factor was their scale color. While the blood dragons who help others have red scales, the ones who hurt have black scales. If a dragon of the opposite color was born into a dragon tribe, the hatchling was immediately killed. Scale coloring had nothing to do with the parents the offspring had, but what the hatchlings eventual future would turn out to be. Killing the little ones seemed harsh to outsiders, but those were the chances the blood dragon species were forced to make.

If Kira had been fed the meat of a blood dragon that had restriction to her wounds healing, she hardly had to guess which family that particular dragon had belonged to. Thinking about her wounds made them throb uncomfortably and Kira tried to ignore them.

As she shifted her weight a bit to ease to pain of her injuries on her legs, soft leaves tickled her thighs and Kira glanced down to see what she was sitting on.

Apparently while she had been sleeping and the entire time she had been talking with Sesshomaru, she had been on a huge bed of ferns and moss, carefully piled into a comfortable temporary nest for her to recover in. Glancing up at Sesshomaru, she met his gaze and he nodded in the direction in which Jaken sat, still plucking feathers from the pheasant. Kira thought it was strange that the little imp would do anything for her, when he obviously didn't trust her. Smiling to herself Kira looked back at Sesshomaru and he saw a twinkle in her eye that almost unnerved him.

Kira knew Sesshomaru was trying to make it look like it was all the imp's idea, but she knew better. Servants who were vassals to demons much higher ranking than themselves weren't to do anything for guests they weren't told to, so in order for Jaken to have made up a bed for Kira, he must to have been ordered to do it by Sesshomaru.

Kira smirked as she glanced back up at the lord and though his expression remained indifferent to everything going on around him, his eyes flashed inquisitively as he tried to read her thoughts.

Before he had a chance to figure out her hidden meaning in her smirk, Kira imitated Sesshomaru and formed her face into a mask, allowing no emotions to show through. Sesshomaru couldn't help but be a little peeved by her childish actions and averted his eyes from her, turning instead to Jaken as finished plucking the pheasant and moved to begin gutting the bird.

Before he could begin the next step in preparing the meal, Jaken felt a familiar presence turn its attention to him. He could feel his master's eyes on his back and tensed visibly as though Sesshomaru's gaze had burned him and turned his head slowly to look on his lord's face. He fidgeted in anxiety and blinked a few times.

"Y-yes my lord, is there something I c-can do for you?" he asked timidly, fidgeting worse than ever.

Kira fought down a giggle at the little toad demon's jumpiness and looked to see what Sesshomaru's answer would be.

Inclining his head a bit in a positive, Sesshomaru glanced in Kira's direction before turning his attention back on his vassal.

"I want you to gather cherry blossoms for Kira once you are finished with the meat," he said, nodding toward the unfinished bird, "then you will escort her to the hotspring. Do I make myself clear?"

Jaken nodded rapidly and stammered out a yes before hurrying to busy himself with the poultry. Sesshomaru turned back to Kira and smirked at her expression of confusion.

"Why do I need cherry blossoms?"

"They are for your bath." He answered her shortly.

Kira smiled gently as she understood. The cherry blossoms were meant to be used as a sort of perfume or soap and she appreciated Sesshomaru's thoughts, but it dawned on her that she had just taken a bath earlier today (or at least she thought she did, she still wasn't sure how long she had been passed out.), maybe the reason Sesshomaru wanted her to bathe again was because she smelled? Kira turned back to Sesshomaru, an angry glint in her eye.

"I just took a bath this afternoon."

"Yesterday afternoon," Sesshomaru corrected, "and I didn't mean it as an insult, I simply suggested it so you would have a chance to clean yourself of your blood."

Kira looked down at herself and sighed as she noted that some of her wounds were still bleeding and that she was indeed, covered in her own blood. Kira felt suddenly exhausted beyond reason and she glanced up at Sesshomaru, planning on telling him that maybe a bath wouldn't be such a bad idea, but the words never left her mouth.

Sesshomaru watched as Kira inspected her open wounds and looked up at him. He waited for her to say something, but forgot the fact as he noticed her eyes go violently out of focus for a moment before returning to normal.

"Go back to sleep Kira, Jaken will wake you when the meal is ready."

Jaken nodded his little head in Kira's direction quickly without looking at her, before returning to the task of gutting the bird. Kira's stomach growled in response to the thought of food, but she decided Sesshomaru was right and she gave one last lingering glance of suspicion in his direction before she wrapped her tail around her waist once more.

"Alright." She sighed and lowered herself into the bed of ferns, falling asleep as soon as her eyes closed.

---

YAY! SECOND CHAPPY IS DONE! I'm really excited about hearing reviews from this chapter. I have to admit, I'm disappointed about the reviews from last chapter. Only 2! I know for a fact that more than 10 times that amount visited my story, there's no excuse for you guys not to leave comments! lol! Anyway, I finally introduced some1 from the Inuyasha story, so harming me is not allowed and yes, there's more coming. I love Sesshy! He's so sexy... (Zones out at thought of beloved Sesshy)

Rini: Umm...Laveda? (Waves hand in front of Laveda's face) Veda? (Pauses in disbelief) Daaaaaamn...if Veda didn't work, I don't know what will. (Thinking) (Gasps happily and starts jumping up and down)

(Rini runs out of room and returns two seconds later carrying a huge sack)

Rini: (panting) Veda...look what I got...

(Unties top of sack, and Sesshomaru steps out with a death threat in his eyes)

Snapdragon: (Still zoned out)

(Sesshy makes his way to Rini as she backs against a wall)

Sesshomaru: You will pay for your ignorance girl. (Glaring evilly)

Rini: (Eyes wide)LAVEDA! Look who came to play! Turn around NOW! PLEASE!

Snapdragon: (Snaps out of it at Sesshy's voice) What? (turns around and sees Sesshy cornering Rini) SESSHY!

Sesshomaru: Huh? (stops and looks around)

Snapdragon: (Glomps Sesshy in full demon form, pinning him to the ground) (smirks in thought) _I am sooooo much stronger than him any day._

Sesshomaru: (somehow reads Laveda's thoughts and reverts to _his_ demon form.)

Rini: It's amazing they both fit in this room. (Shakes head in shame) They might take awhile, so enjoy the third chapter when it comes...should be here at January 16th at the latest. REVIEW!


	3. A new friend?

Disclaimer: I don't own it, don't rub it in. (Crosses arms and pouts)

Shippo: (Patting Laveda's back comfortingly) It's ok Laveda…just cuz you don't own us doesn't mean you can't talk to us.

Inuyasha: She doesn't own us? Good I'm outta here. (Walks out door)

Kagome: YOU'RE NOT HELPING ANYTHING YOU BIG BAKA!

Inuyasha: (From outside door) Was I supposed to?

Kagome & Shippo: (sigh)

A/N: This has to be my fave chapter so far! Tell me what you think of it when you're done reading it! I can't tell you how much I love Kira's temper, so much like my own…I created her well…

---

Previously…

"_Go back to sleep Kira, Jaken will wake you when the meal is ready." _

Jaken nodded his little head in Kira's direction quickly without looking at her, before returning to the task of gutting the bird. Kira's stomach growled in response to the thought of food, but she decided Sesshomaru was right and she gave one last lingering glance of suspicion in his direction before she wrapped her tail around her waist once more.

"_Alright." She sighed and lowered herself into the bed of ferns, falling asleep as soon as her eyes closed._

Sesshomaru listened to Kira's smooth breathing as he gazed at her features. Contrary to what everyone said about those who sleep, Kira's features weren't relaxed and calm, but looked almost pained and he could sense an amazing level of fear coming from her. Kira whimpered slightly, curling herself into a fetal position.

She never would have shown her weaknesses, like she was now, if she were awake. She was fighting through her dream, trying to return to consciousness, her fear making it hard for her to pull herself away from the nightmare.

--- Kira's dream sequence ---

"_DADDY NO!" _

In front of her very eyes, Kira's parents fought for her life. Not against enemies, but against each other. While her mother was trying to protect her, her father aimed to kill her. She didn't know why and it scared her, she had asked her mother, but she refused to talk about it. Her mother hadn't hesitated in fighting against her own mate for her daughter's life, but Kira could see how badly fighting against him tore her up inside.

Even in her young age, Kira knew that if she had any chance at living, her mother would have to fight to the death and come out victorious.

The rest of the pack surrounded the fighters, either unsure of what to do or unwilling to fight against the alpha pair.

Kira watched in horror as her father made another attempt toward her, aiming a slashing blow meant to be her death. Throwing herself in front of her daughter, Kira's mother came between them in time to take the blow for her, spilling an incredible amount of blood from her side. Retaliating quickly for the sake of her own survival, she lashed her claws against his throat in a flash of movement.

The demon that was Kira's father was dead before he hit the grown.

Kira's mother stood completely still, unable to bring herself to move from grief as tears poured down her face.

Padding up timidly to stand next to her mother, Kira nuzzled her ankle, the highest point of her mother that she could reach, the sign of unity among her pack. Her mother didn't acknowledge her presence and made her way shakily to her fallen mate, dead by her claws. Curling up next to his corpse, Kira watched as she allowed his blood to stain her silken coat and she finally glanced at the daughter she had fought so hard to keep.

"_Come here Kira." She beckoned. _

Her voice as soft and gentle as always, but Kira found the sound hollow and eerie, as though no life existed inside her mother and she was just an empty shell. Kira, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't make herself move to her mother's side. She was shaking violently and her throat seemed to be rebelling against her, closing tight with tears so she could hardly breathe. Her mother sighed as she watched her young one struggle against the reality of what just happened. Lowering her eyes so she didn't have to look at her daughter, she spoke again, in the same hollow voice as before.

"_You know your duty Kira." _

Her voice made Kira shudder, but she nodded sadly in understanding and slowly made her way to her mother's side. Placing her claws at the junction between her mother's neck and shoulder Kira sunk her claws into the soft flesh. As she pulled her nails down and down through her own mother Kira cried silently. Allowing no sound to escape her throat, she mourned the loss of her father and her childhood equally.

It was custom for a daughter to be the one to apply the scar to her mother's flesh, the scar that symbolized the loss of a mate. It was her duty to share in her mother's grief as much as it was for the rest of the pack. Each member in turn bowed their heads silently in tribute to their fallen pack leader and laid down next to one another to share each other's pain. As soon as Kira retracted her claws from her mother's flesh, her mother raised her mighty head and released a heart-wrenching howl, cursing the sky for her loss and a few of the pack females began to silently cry at the broken sound. Soon after, Kira joined her mother in the mourning, and once she accepted and expressed her loss to the pack, the rest of the members joined as well. Each demon raising their head to the sky and grieving openly.

Showing their emotions was a sign of trust and respect among Kira's tribe. Hiding your emotions was extremely rude when among those in the pack, and fights often broke out between the different ranks of the demons.

As the rest of the pack mourned, Kira made her way to her dead father. Curling herself into a tiny ball, she pressed herself against his still-warm body and fell asleep.

---

Kira woke up to the sound of her mother's angry barks. Leaping out of the den, Kira looked about franticly to search for the danger. She gasped as she saw her mother facing off to a huge tiger youkai. Kira's mother was trying unsuccessfully to ward him off with her growled warnings. The tiger slinked back and forth, forcing Kira's mother to pace to keep him away from the den and away from Kira.

"_MAMA!" _

Kira's cry caught the attention of the tiger and he stopped trying to get closer to the den and watched the cub.

Kira was a tiny pup, not three months old. Despite her young age, she was incredibly physically mature and extremely bold.

Coming to stand next to her mother, Kira glared at the larger youkai.

"_What do you want tiger?" _

The huge youkai purred low in his throat, and cocked his head slightly to the side as he looked on the young pup in front of him.

"_You." _

Kira's breathing seemed to stop and her eyes widened in a fear she tried hard to conceal.

"_You will have no such thing." Though her words sounded powerful, Kira couldn't help the quiver that resided behind the angry words. _

Kira's mother heard it too, and worried for her pup.

Behind the two dog demons, a group of raccoon youkai spread out and grabbed Kira away from her mother's side.

While one of the larger ones held her tight to keep her from getting away, two smaller demons attempted to put a muzzle on her. Tears streamed down her muzzle, dampening the soft fur, as Kira struggled against a raccoon youkai's grasp. Slashing clumsily at the two smaller youkai's faces, she freed her head from their grasp and bit into her captors hand sharply, her tiny fangs puncturing his skin, causing him to release her with a shriek.

Kira's mother was fighting desperately to get to her daughter, but the tiger youkai kept finding his way in front of her, constantly between the mother and her pup.

Bounding out of the raccoon's reach, Kira dashed between the legs of the tiger and to her mother's side. She was fast for her breed and her speed had rescued her from the claws of the tiger youkai as she ran under him.

"_MAMA!" _

The huge dog demon towered over little Kira and she pressed her shaking body against her mother's leg for comfort. The Doberman youkai looked down at her daughter and the fear and pain in her eyes was evident.

"_Kira, nanlia, you must run. Run for your very life my little one, these demons want to hurt you. I don't know why but I will hold them back as long as I can." Tears began leaking from her mother's eyes as Kira pressed herself closer to her mother's warmth. _

The tiger watched the two with something close to amusement in his eyes.

"_Please mama no, I will fight with you, don't make me go, I can't leave you." _

Kira's mother began to answer her when the tiger pounced. Digging his claws into her side, Kira's mother yelped in agony and pushed Kira away.

"_GO Kira! RUN!" _

Kira hesitated in fear, but the desperation in her mother's voice frightened her more than the tiger, and she turned tail and fled into the dense trees of the forest.

Dodging trees and avoiding the thorn bushes that grew thickly over the ground, Kira hurtled through the forest, quickly losing the raccoon youkai who chased after her. She ran on for miles, pushing her exhausted body beyond anything she had ever experienced before, her fear and confusion fueling her burning legs.

Her eyes blinded by tears and fatigue Kira tripped, going full speed and having no control over her limp form, she slid through the foliage, crashing through thorn bushes and eventually slamming into a thick tree, coming to a very painful stop.

Lifting her head weakly, Kira let out a strangled howl of pain and misery before she passed out from her emotional and physical stress.

--- End dream sequence ---

Sesshomaru glanced back to Kira's sleeping form and he wondered fleetingly what she might be dreaming about. If she was reacting this way to the images in her mind, he was almost certain she had lived through them before, in her dreams, and her reality. He fought the urge to strike her to cause her physical pain so that she would wake from her nightmares of mental and emotional pain. It was a strange logic, he knew, but he also knew pain was the best teacher to getting over things such as these.

Kira lay in her nest of ferns and moss, shivering profusely as though she was freezing to death, and a thin sheen of sweat clinging to her skin as she cried out in her sleep. Her legs were pulled up close to her chest, and her tail lay rigid behind her. Her hair clung to her scalp in sweaty strands and as he gazed down at her, Sesshomaru thought she looked much younger than she was. Of course he didn't know how old she really was, but he tucked it away in his mind to ask her later.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly when he realized what he had just thought. He wouldn't care for this female whelp; she was worth none of his attention or time. As soon as she recovered enough to fend for herself he would rid himself of her.

Sesshomaru stood in agitation, unable to take being in her presence any longer, unable to take the confusion she brought to him. He had to think and to do that he had to get away from her.

Kira stopped with her loud outbursts that her dreams caused and seemed to settle down into a death sleep, not even stirring when a spark from the fire landed on her bare shoulder, singeing the skin.

With a final glance back at her sleeping form, Sesshomaru turned on his heel and walked away into the trees toward the hotspring he had scented somewhere south of camp.

Jaken jumped up from where he had been finishing up the bird and ran up behind his lord, his eyes wide at the thought of his master leaving him.

Without turning around, Sesshomaru quietly ordered Jaken to stay at camp. Jaken's jaw fell open in horror and he stuttered a bit before finally regaining enough composure to speak.

"W-where are you going my lord? Surely you are not leaving me alone with this f-female d-demon?"

Jaken tried his best to sound like he simply wanted to follow his master, but he was secretly terrified of Kira. He could feel her power radiating from her, and though it decreased during her nightmares, the raw intensity of her presence alone made him feel squeamish. He fell back behind his lord and cursed the gods quietly for having to stay as he watched Sesshomaru disappear into the forest.

Sesshomaru walked confidently through the foliage, keeping his eyes forward, but staying alert the whole time. As he walked, his mind was burdened with spinning thoughts of Kira. Why was she effecting him like this? He seems to actually care for her well being. She was just a weak youkai right? He had no need for her. Though she was rather striking, with her fiery elegance. Sesshomaru mentally shook his head violently to rid himself of the tormenting thought, not about to lower himself to actually _do _the act.

Emerging from his jumbled thoughts, Sesshomaru realized that he had arrived at his destination.

Taking a deep breath of the steamy air that hovered over the hotspring, Sesshomaru watched the morning light dance on the surface of the water. The reflections of the surrounding trees and boulders were beautifully distorted by the fog, making the water look as though onyx and emeralds were glittering over the surface.

Removing his sash, armor, and Kimono, Sesshomaru stood at the water's edge wearing just his hakamas.

Closing his eyes, he reached out with his senses, searching for any threats or curious youkai. Finding none, Sesshomaru removed his pants before sliding into the silky water.

The hot temperature scalded his skin slightly, but as his body adjusted to it, he found the water extremely relaxing.

Lowering himself so his torso entered the water as well, Sesshomaru sighed. Under usual circumstances, he never would have done such a trivial act as sighing, but the stress he felt now was like nothing he had ever felt.

The stress wasn't a terrible feeling, just…confusing. And confusion was exactly what was making him stressed.

He had never before questioned his abilities or motives, or had ever found any creature threatening to him, but that was before he had found Kira.

When he rescued her, she didn't seem at all grateful. In fact, she had tried to kill him. When pure exhaustion had taken over her soon after exiting the estate walls, her body had remained tense in his arms until she had been laid on her bed of ferns, away from his presence. While she was asleep, though she was nearly helpless in her weak state and totally oblivious to everything happening around her, whenever she had felt Sesshomaru's aura drawing closer, she unconsciously made a point to growl in his direction and bare her teeth at him, even through her dreams.

Sesshomaru couldn't tell whether to be proud of her for this show of alertness in weakness or disappointed she didn't trust him yet. After all, he was the one who had saved her from that living hell right? She should trust him. Simple logic.

Even right before Sesshomaru had left to come to the hotspring, he hadn't missed the suspicious glance she had given him before she had turned herself back over to sleep. He wanted to strangle her with how ungrateful and high mannered she was being.

She acted as though she was better than he was, and Sesshomaru himself knew there was no one better than himself.

Sesshomaru kept thinking bitterly over how he would break Kira's spirit, to make her see her terrible miscalculation in her own strength, not even stopping to think that acting the way she has been might be how she behaves when she feels threatened.

Pulling himself out of the scorching water almost reluctantly, Sesshomaru reached out with his senses once again, he could sense a raven youkai in a tree to the right of him, but nothing that might be considered a threat, not that anything was a threat to Sesshomaru.

Pulling his hakamas back on and replacing his kimono, Sesshomaru leapt up to the top of a tall oak tree and surveyed his surroundings from there.

A bit to the north of where he was perched, he could see a slight break in the trees and a bit of smoke rising from the tiny clearing. That was the direction in which camp was currently set up, he could smell the blood of the deer his servant, Jaken, had skinned.

Turning his gaze to the west, the direction he was traveling, Sesshomaru saw nothing but trees, stretching as far as his keen eyes could see. From what he knew about these parts of his lands, Sesshomaru figured it would be about another five days of traveling before they reached their destination.

Bounding gracefully back to the ground, Sesshomaru put his armor back on and tied his yellow and blue sash around his waist. His mind was still whirling with strange thoughts, but his body was much more relaxed after his soak in the hotspring. On his returning trip back to camp, though he tried to think of something else, or better yet, nothing at all, the subject of Kira still loomed like a heavy cloud over his mind. Giving in to his conscious, Sesshomaru pictured her in his mind. He found he had come to enjoy her rather revealing outfit. The way it clung to her torso tightly and hung limply in strips about her waist gave him interesting ideas, ideas that he wasn't ashamed to admit he had about her, if only to himself.

He couldn't blame himself for thinking such thoughts, she was, as he thought before, very striking in appearance, and the angry glint in her eyes only intensified her beauty. Though her arrogance and occasional child-like actions were rather annoying, he had to give her some credit at how damn stubborn she was, and so quick to anger too. She intrigued him endlessly, from her looks to the fire in her personality. She would be a perfect mate for him, were it not for the rebellious streak that burned through her veins. Sesshomaru knew he would never be able to love a wild creature like Kira, he needed a lady demoness to stand next to him, not a dog.

The more Sesshomaru thought about Kira and her unpredictable temper, the more he began to think she would be the perfect mate, and this disturbed him to no end.

Clearing his mind as best as he could about Kira, Sesshomaru tried to focus his attention on his surroundings.

Looking up, he was a bit surprised that the sun was already halfway risen. Kira had been passed out for nearly fourteen hours before she had woken up and at that time, the sun had yet to show its face. He wondered fleetingly how long he had been at the hotspring before realizing he didn't care in the least, and continued walking.

Arranging his features so none of his thoughts showed through, Sesshomaru prepared for facing Kira once more. If she was awake when he returned to camp, she would surely notice even the slightest bit of expression on his face. She had before, and though she never commented, Sesshomaru had the distinct feeling she could see straight through his cold front. He knew she noticed things most demons would never look for, she was much more alert than even he was and that was saying **a lot**. During his entire conversation with her (if you could call it that) even while she seemed to be lost in thought, she tensed at every sound or movement she picked up, even when she wasn't paying any attention whatsoever to what was going on around her.

Entering camp once again, Sesshomaru glanced around camp and noted everything was as he had left it. The only difference was the mood Jaken seemed to be in.

Jaken was hopping anxiously around the nest of ferns that Kira was nestled in and muttering to himself. With his keen ears Sesshomaru heard everything the little imp was muttering about.

"Lord Sesshomaru will skin me alive if he sees her like this. Stupid weak mutt of a female, doesn't have the strength to even wake herself up. Oh I have to wake her up, she looks like she's passed on to the next world, which is where I'll be if I don't wake her up." Jaken was nearly insane with anxiety over the thoughts of what his master might do to him if he didn't get her up.

"She is unconscious." Sesshomaru stated, causing Jaken to jump violently in surprise.

From where he stood, Sesshomaru could hear the slow breathing of Kira and her almost hesitant heartbeat.

"W-why would she be unconscious my lord? She seemed fine earlier, if not just a little fatigued."

Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow at Jaken. Jaken's blood drained from his face, realizing he was questioning his master's judgement and fell to his knees, his face pressed to the dirt.

"Forgive me lord Sesshomaru! I did not mean to question you! Forgive me!"

Sesshomaru just ignored his groveling servant and glided toward Kira. Pressing his fingers against her throat, he felt for a pulse. Though he could hear her heartbeat, by feeling its pulse he could tell she would not be waking up any time soon.

Without turning around, Sesshomaru directed his order behind him and to Jaken, who was still kneeling in the dirt in fear.

"Jaken, make a broth from the bird, you will feed her."

Jaken hid his disgust at having to help her more than he already had, and the thought of having to actually _touch_ her to do it. With his head filled with dark thoughts toward the female dog demon, Jaken reluctantly began his task.

Sesshomaru removed his hand from Kira's throat and watched her relax slightly as he took a step away from her. Suppressing a growl, Sesshomaru walked away from her and leaned against a tree on the other side of the clearing.

'From the rumors that float around that place, it's amazing she's still alive. The smells that surrounded that place were worse than the rumors, and if my nose hasn't wronged me, I would have to say the truth is much worse than what they thought.'

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at the recollection of what had been revealed when he had stepped into the estate. The abuse the captives had gone through had been instantly apparent, and their forced scents still lingered on the guards, and now that he knew Kira's scent, he realized it had been her scent that had been most prominent on the leader of the guards.

'It was worse than even what you're thinking. Danshka wasn't exactly the kindest of souls.'

Sesshomaru tensed suddenly as Kira's voice filled his head. Glancing in her direction suspiciously, he saw with some disbelief that she was still asleep. He could tell by her heartbeat that she was still unconscious and completely oblivious to Jaken as he poured soup down her throat.

Sesshomaru glared at her limp form for a moment before thinking he must have imagined it and he crossed his arms, his back to the tree he was leaning on, and closed his eyes against her image as he fell into a shallow doze.

In Kira's nest, Jaken poured the last of the bowls content into her mouth and hopped away from her, making his way toward the river to get himself a drink. As Jaken left, Kira's eyes snapped open. Glazed over with unconsciousness, they pointed directly to the sky. Instead of her eyes being their usual purple with black and gold specks, they shifted in waves between the three colors. Flicking her eyes in the direction of Sesshomaru, Kira smirked mischievously and closed her eyes again, cutting the connection and falling into a coma.

---

Kira shut her eyes tighter to protect them from the morning sunlight and rolled over, trying to get away from it.

As she shifted, the strong scent of medicinal herbs wafted around where Kira lay, nearly making her gag in its powerful stench.

"Oh Kami, that's bad."

Keeping her eyes tightly shut, Kira pulled the blanket that was draped over her up, and used it to cover her nose, trying as best as she could to block out the dizzying scent. It didn't work as good as she thought it might, but then again, she hadn't really expected much, her sense of smell was too good to be blocked out by a bit of fabric.

Kira had to pause for a moment when she realized she had a blanket. She didn't remember being covered up, now that she thought about it, she couldn't even remember when she had been put in a bed.

Kira sighed at the thought. A _real _bed. She hadn't slept in one in years.

Snuggling down farther into the comforters, Kira sighed again from the feather light sensation of being surrounded by warmth. If there was ever such a thing as heaven, this surely had to be it.

Burying her face into her pillow, Kira suddenly tensed as she caught a familiar scent on the fabric. _Sesshomaru._

Panicking, Kira shot away from the pillow and searched the room franticly for the dog demon.

Realizing he wasn't there, Kira tried to calm herself down. Though the scent had been faint, Kira couldn't help but stress over the fact that it was _there._ Even if it was faint, he could have been masking his scent, it was easy enough, but why had he been in the bed with her? The scent seemed to be only a few hours old, what could he have been doing while he had been there?

Closing her eyes, Kira sucked in a deep breath; she had found over the years that the best treatment for anxiety was meditation. She didn't exactly have the time for that right now however, so she settled with a few deep breaths.

Opening her eyes calmly and slowly, Kira took in her surroundings.

The walls were covered in what looked like woven straw and it gave the room an earthy and relaxing scent, nearly covering the subtle fragrance of the lavender incense that sat burning gently on the oak side-table next to the bed. Kira suspected it was sleeping incense, designed to calm youkai. Yawning hugely, Kira decided that it did its job very well. Behind the side-tables were two ordinary windows, but the shades that were meant to cover them were highly decorated with beautiful water color paintings of tigers relaxing in the boughs of a massive willow tree.

Scoffing at the intricate painting, Kira couldn't help but remember her dream and she turned away from the windows, which were happily spilling sunlight into the room.

Kira didn't care to look around the room anymore once she saw the tigers, and instead turned her gaze to the bed she was sitting in. It was a western style bed, raised off of the floor with an oaken headboard, carved with painstaking detail. In the simple piece of wood that topped the head of the bed, a diamond-encrusted waterfall that spilled into a steaming hotspring surrounded by a lavish garden was carved. Kira studied the details of the beautiful image and could almost see the wind blowing through the flowers.

Tearing her eyes from the hypnotizing scene, Kira gaped at the comforter she was covered in. The extravagant blanket was made completely of silk, dyed blood red, and stitched with threads of gold around the edges. The pillows that had surrounded her head were also silk, but they were mud brown in color with the same golden stitching.

Shaking her head at the elegance of the room she was in, Kira couldn't help but think she wasn't worthy of it.

Pulling one leg out from under the blanket, Kira noticed that her wounds had been cleaned and seemed to be healing, and the ones that hadn't yet healed were medicated and wrapped in gauze.

Turning her nose up at the putrid smell of the medicine, Kira threw the blanket off of her completely and stood on the side of the bed, reaching her arms up as high as she could and arching her back like a cat. Her wounds were healing, her headache was gone and she felt stronger and healthier than she had in a month, life was definitely good right now. The sun warming her side as she woke her body up, and Kira couldn't help but smile at the comfort it brought.

Letting her arms fall back to her sides, Kira rolled her neck, cracking the stiff joints and sighed.

Awake and relaxed, Kira looked down to see if she had any scarring from her ordeal and gasped in horror at what she saw. She was completely naked! Nothing covered her to keep her decency at all. The only bits of material that she wore were the bits of gauze wrapped around her wounds, and though she was covered completely in the most intimate of areas, the thin gauze really didn't hide anything at all.

Kira started to panic again at the thought of Sesshomaru seeing her like this, but before she could work herself up too much, she got **_PISSED._**

Kira's vision went red, and she growled angrily.

As several servants passed through the hall, they heard her growling in anger, and the woman went scuttling away fearfully. They definitely didn't want to cross paths with an angry dog demon; especially not the Doberman called Kira. They could sense her strength from where they had stood, nearly fifty feet from her, and even while they had been ordered to care for her wounds by their master when she was unconscious, they still worked with caution, trying their hardest not to wake her up or startle her.

Snatching up the comforter Kira threw it around her torso, holding it securely above her breasts, and stomped to the door opposite the bed that she had just noticed.

Having half a mind to just walk straight through it without bothering to open it, Kira flung the paper sliding door open unceremoniously and taking a deep breath, she let her anger loose.

"**SESSHOMARU!"**

Kira's fists were balled in the blanket as she held it up to cover her, her knuckles white with the force she held it. She seemed about to breathe fire, her eyes looked to full of it to be allowed, and with how thoroughly pissed she was, she would have been easy work to go into a full-blown rampage, that is, if she were dressed.

Silence hovered thickly in the house, making Kira's ears ring after the excruciating volume her voice had just been.

Sesshomaru appeared at the end of the hall, an eyebrow raised and a slight smirk playing over his lips.

Kira growled angrily, baring her teeth at the beautiful demon, and took a step forward menacingly.

"Where are my clothes?" She ground out.

Her jaw was clenched so tightly, Sesshomaru wondered if it would break under the pressure.

When Sesshomaru didn't answer her, Kira's anger reached a new level she never knew she could reach.

She was stock naked in front of the first outside contact she had had in a month, covered in nothing but a flimsy silk comforter, in a building god knows where and all of the new scents that swirled around her put her nerves on high alert. Needless to say, Kira's already tense and overly alert senses that came with being in a strange environment were being pulled dangerously tight, making her feel desperate and vulnerable. With Sesshomaru refusing to answer her, Kira had snapped, and she was having trouble controlling her anger.

Kira's image flickered as Sesshomaru studied her and for a moment a woman with jet-black hair that fell down to her thighs and deep forest green eyes was snarling at him.

She was gone as fast as she had appeared, and Sesshomaru wondered if he had actually even seen her, or if he was imagining things.

"Sesshomaru…" Kira threatened through gritted teeth, "you better answer me or I swear, someone's going to die today and I can guarantee it will be you."

Sesshomaru was rather amused by the idea of her fighting in the nude, and it showed in his eyes. Unlucky for him, Kira saw it too and was less than thrilled.

"_Sesshomaru_…"

Kira had taken another step forward while she had been threatening him, and the blankets had shifted around her when she moved, leaving Kira's long slender legs open to his view.

Sesshomaru's eyes flicked to the view she had unknowingly given him, hovering hungrily.

It wasn't as though Sesshomaru hadn't seen her legs before, so much of them in fact, it seemed indecent, but the idea of Kira being dressed in nothing but a silk blanket was…enticing…

Sesshomaru smirked at his thoughts and Kira caught the shift in his expression unnaturally quickly.

"SESSHOMARU YOU HENTAI!"

In addition to Kira's eyes being red, her face was as well, but in embarrassment instead of anger.

Sesshomaru blinked and raised his eyes back to her face.

If she had been angry before, that was nothing compared to what she was feeling now. Kira's image flickered once again, but not staying as long as it had before, and Kira dropped the blanket that she held over her torso.

Moving faster than she ever had before, Kira dashed down the hallway, Sesshomaru's throat her target.

Kira moved faster than even Sesshomaru's eyes could track, and she was upon him before he had time to even get out of the way.

Slashing her claws through the air, Kira brought her talons through the skin of his neck. Sesshomaru jumped back as soon as he felt her make contact with him, and knocked her hands away from him roughly. Kira snarled angrily and leapt away from him, grabbing the comforter as she landed and held it up over her torso as she landed.

Sesshomaru smirked in an emotion that looked frighteningly like amusement at what he had seen. Kira had failed to raise the blanket over her fast enough as she had landed. Off course, her entire chest was covered in bandages from her wounds, but that didn't mean the gauze wasn't see through.

Looking at her eyes, Sesshomaru was mildly surprised at what he saw. Kira's eyes were completely red with yellow slits for pupils, and the orange sparks that shimmered in her eyes gave the illusion that her very eyes were on fire, glowing like burning embers.

"You seem angry lady Kira, why is it that you do not transform? It would surely be easier to fight me under your usual circumstances." Sesshomaru's tone was mocking, but he kept his normal arrogance in his words.

"You know nothing of me Sesshomaru, do not begin to think you do." She growled.

"I know much about you actually, your nightmares are very interesting, but if I am not much mistaken that is not the answer to the question I had asked of you."

Kira's eyes cleared in horror at what he had said, and her grip on the blanket loosened, revealing ten rips in the fabric from her claws.

"W-what do you mean my nightmares?" Kira's legs suddenly weakened and she nearly fell onto her knees.

"I mean just that my lady, your nightmares tell me much about you."

'Can he read my mind to such an extent that he can see my dreams?'

Kira clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes at Sesshomaru.

"You stupid fucker, you think you can read my mind and get away with it?" Kira's eyes began to once again darken in anger as she defended herself against her vulnerability in her dreams.

"Young one, I do not posses the power to read thoughts, it's your moaning while you dream that tells me of your past. I've learned much about you from your whimpering but I must say, it's rather annoying."

Kira couldn't handle to hear anymore, Sesshomaru had found her only weakness and she was sure he was going to use it against her. Feeling cornered and defenseless, Kira fought back the only way she knew how, pure anger.

"Shut up you spineless bastard and fight me!"

"You still haven't answered my question, why is it you avoid it so? Is there something you do not wish to tell me?"

"Why don't you fight me?" She snapped, her voice raising in volume every second.

"If I wish to find out what you're hiding, killing you would make no sense now would it?" Sesshomaru pointed out, with a disturbing half-smile playing over his face.

Kira had had enough. Dropping the blanket once again, Kira launched herself at Sesshomaru, leaping into the air seconds before she reached Sesshomaru, and did a swift half-flip in the air, using her legs to launch herself off of the ceiling and towards him, her teeth bared and her eyes burning.

He scented her a half-second before she was on him, and going off of where he had scented her, lifted a hand and grabbed one of her wrists as it came towards his throat once again. Kira was a bit surprised that he had caught her, but growling ferociously, used her free hand to tear at any part of him she could reach.

Sesshomaru jumped back, still holding onto Kira's wrist, and she was involuntarily yanked with him, yelping in surprise.

As Sesshomaru landed, Kira did not, and she flipped over Sesshomaru, forcing him to release her wrist from the awkward, and painful, angle she had put his arm into.

Growling, Sesshomaru spun around to face her, but she had leapt over him once again, coming up behind him and drawing her claws over his shoulder, smirking as the blood flowed from the wounds.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at her childish tactic, but turned back around to face her once again. Kira moved a half second too slow and before she could get away, Sesshomaru had sped forward and grabbed her by the throat, the spikes that protruded from her collar once again sinking deeply into his hand, and he rammed her into the wall. Kira's head slammed suddenly against the wall, and she went limp as stars danced in front of her eyes.

As Kira fought to stay conscious, her eyes cleared and she looked up at Sesshomaru timidly, the fear she was trying to hold back threatening to drown her.

It wasn't Sesshomaru she was afraid of, it was her past and this was a part of it.

The position Kira was in seemed all too familiar, and fear engulfed her at the thought of what had happened last time she had been pinned to a wall by her throat.

Sesshomaru scented her fear, and something else as well. Recognizing the position she was in emotionally, Sesshomaru released Kira's throat and held her back against the wall by her shoulders, not allowing his eyes to stray toward her exposed body.

Sesshomaru wondered what might have frightened her as badly as it had as he held her still like that, but she had reacted in the same way while having her frequent nightmares. Even as he had entered his castle and placed Kira in her bed she was having nightmares, and the more he moved while he carried her, the worse they seemed to get.

He had checked up on her frequently over the past few days she had been unconscious, and soothed her as she dreamt. He had placed calming incense next to her bed to keep her relaxed, and every time she cried out in her sleep he would gently brush his claws up and down her arms, knowing somehow she was comforted by this and she would always quiet when he did such. Though his comforts never did much to help her through her dreams, his presence seemed to help relax her, and she wouldn't scream in her dreams as much as she would when he wasn't there.

He had no idea what had driven him to spend hours beside the female demon comforting her through her sleep, and he wasn't sure he liked the feeling, but it gave him some consolation to know she didn't know he was there.

Kira seemed to shrink as he held her against the wall and as her eyes completely returned to normal, her fear and uncertainty at what he might do showed through.

It pained Sesshomaru to know she didn't trust him after all he had done for her, and had to remind himself that was a good thing.

Sesshomaru put up his mask, not allowing any emotion to show through as he looked down at Kira.

Kira pushed herself as close to the wall as she could, getting herself as far away from Sesshomaru as possible, even though he was already holding her there.

"Sesshomaru?" Kira's voice was small, and sounded broken and hurt.

Sesshomaru didn't answer, hardening his heart against her so she wouldn't see through his mask, and waited for her to continue.

"Sesshomaru, please let me go." She was trying to hide her fear, but her eyes defied her as the desperation she was feeling showed through the thin veil.

"You would do well to remember not to challenge this Sesshomaru." He stated.

Kira nodded rapidly, refusing to make eye contact with her captor. Sesshomaru's heart jolted at how vulnerable she seemed and unbeknownst to him, he removed his mask. His fear, uncertainty and caring revealed, Sesshomaru didn't hide anything at that moment, leaving his entire self open for criticism.

Kira could have looked up in that moment and seen the answers to any questions she might ever have for the demon lord, but she didn't look up to see, she kept her gaze glued to Sesshomaru's hands, the hands that held her pinned to the wall as she forced back tears, waiting for him to release her.

Sesshomaru felt her body tense and smelled tears threatening to fall, and he wanted nothing more but to hold her close and comfort her, but instead of fulfilling his hearts desires, he simply lifted his hands off of her shoulders allowing Kira to run away from him.

Kira dashed away from him as fast as she possibly could, her feet making no noise on the wooden flooring as she fled, snatching up the silk blanket and throwing it around her as she ran down the hall, disappearing around a corner before Sesshomaru had time to take a breath.

Sesshomaru sighed and turned to look down the hall she had just bolted through.

"I am sorry for what I have done." He whispered, and with that he turned abruptly, making his way down the hall in the opposite direction of Kira's presence.

---

Kira ran through twisting passages and barren hallways, down stairways and through fire lit corridors, all the while fighting back tears and pushing her wounded body further than was wise, making her old wounds appear and bleed.

Finally collapsing at the dead end of a hallway, Kira folded her legs up to her chest and rested her forehead on her knees. The silk blanket pooled around her like an unearthly gown of blood, and her own blood mixed in with the beautiful fabric.

Kira sobbed openly, not caring at this point if anyone saw her or heard her.

Kira had been holding back her fears and locking away her emotions for far too long, and she should have known it would have all become too much at some point. Through the hell that she had lived through in Danshka's estate, Kira had refused to allow herself any feeling whatsoever and had lived though whatever Danshka had wanted to put her through. Now that she was free from his clutches and safe, away from any who wished her harm, she was free to have emotion, and it was coming full force in the form of heaving sobs that racked through her body at every breath she took. She had locked away all of her memories of life at the estate in a far corner of her mind, but as soon as she had been released from her cell everything sped back to her, in her thoughts and dreams. She was never going to be free of Danshka or the guards he had commanded. Kira's sobs doubled as she thought of Jax, the guard who had taken everything from her in a single hour, the guard who had beaten her down until she was barely breathing, the guard who had raped her.

"Come along dear."

Kira jumped as she felt herself being lifted off the ground by her elbow and looked up suddenly to see who this person was.

A squat old woman stood beside Kira, wearing a sky blue kimono and a white apron. Her Steel gray hair was put up in a loose bun held in place by two silver chopsticks, and her pointed demon ears were pierced with navy blue sapphires on either side. Her cheeks were full and rosy and her eyes were the same dark blue color as her earrings.

"Who are you?" Kira tried to sound harsh to warn this woman away from her, but she just smiled and tugged once again at Kira's elbow.

"All questions can be answered, oh yes every question has an answer, but every question has a time to be asked, and you may ask all of yours as soon as you come with me and you calm yourself."

'Huh?'

Kira's mind was spinning as she tried to keep up with the woman's fast talking and even when she did hear what the woman had said, somehow it didn't make much sense to her.

Kira stood up, and brushing away all evidence of her tears away from her eyes, looked down at the woman curiously. The woman looked up at Kira, who stood a head taller than herself, and smiled maternally, grasping Kira again by the shoulder and pulling her along the torch lit corridor.

Weaving through the hallways expertly, the woman eventually led Kira to a small doorway, the door itself only reached to about Kira's chest in height, but it was the perfect size for the little woman before her.

The little woman in the blue kimono pulled a tiny golden walnut out of her sleeve and kissing it, placed it on the ground in front of the door.

Kira watched in amazement as the little nut cracked in half and a miniature silver mouse popped out of the nut.

The mouse looked up at Kira and then to the woman who tapped her foot impatiently and spoke to the mouse.

"Well what are you waiting for? Open the door already."

The little mouse squeaked and scuttled though the tiny space between the floor and the door and after a moment of waiting, a tiny click could be heard and the mouse hurried back under the door, appearing once again at the feet of the squat old woman.

"Back in your nut now." The woman said, winking at the mouse.

The little mouse squeaked happily and hopped back into the nutshell, sealing it behind him.

Kira watched all of this happen curiously, but to be truthful, she couldn't care less, she just wanted to go to bed.

"Come along darling, you want your questions answered do you not? Well I can't answer them out here now can I? It would be best if you came inside and had a cup of tea with me, relaxes strained bodies and minds. That it does."

Kira didn't even try to understand the woman this time and nodded silently, giving in to her strange demands.

The woman released Kira's elbow finally and passed through the doorway, Her head not even close to touching to doorframe, whereas Kira had to duck to get into the room.

Kira had expected the ceilings of the room to be just as short as the doorframe had been, but instead, they were normal height and Kira stood comfortably, if not a little peeved the strange woman had dragged her here.

The woman disappeared through a doorway and a second later her head popped back into view, looking exasperated.

"What are you doing still standing there like a buffoon? Come along, in here, we can't have you dressing yourself like that, we need to put you in something a bit more-" The woman faltered as she tried to think of a suitable word, tapping her chin as she thought. "Ah, that's the word I was looking for, modest, yes we must find you something more modest for you to wear in the presence of lord Sesshomaru. That surely won't do. No no, we can't have that."

'**Lord **Sesshomaru? What the hell?'

Kira wanted to ask what the woman meant by _lord_ Sesshomaru, but she held her curiosity in check and followed the woman into the other room. Her head spinning from trying to follow the woman's conversation with herself.

The room Kira stepped into looked to be the woman's bedroom. The walls were decorated with soft hues of blues on the walls, and a simple navy blue blanket covered a small futon in the corner. A white dresser stood on the opposite side of the room and a door was placed next to it. The woman scuttled over to Kira and looked her over with a sharp eye. Walking all the way around Kira, she occasionally poked at Kira's wounds and when Kira flinched she would tisk at the sensitivity and would continue assessing Kira's condition.

Eventually the woman stepped back from Kira and smiled up at the girl.

"Well I'm glad to say you're not in as bad a shape as I originally thought you were, the rumors floating around the castle! You would've thunk you were close to death, but then again, you _were_ unconscious for ten days."

Kira's jaw dropped open, and she nearly lost her grip on the blanket that she still held up over herself.

"Ten days?" At the little woman's nod Kira nearly exploded. "I'VE BEEN UNCONSCIOUS FOR TEN DAYS?"

The woman shook her head in dismay and her expression changed from being motherly and happy to distressed faster than Kira could track.

"We were afraid you were never going to awake. Lord Sesshomaru ordered that only the best of his servants were to take care of you, and then of course he was also helping you heal as best as he could. He truly is a great lord, and I think it wonderful what your presence does for him."

Kira was lost, and this time she _wanted_ to know what the woman had meant.

"Is that why he was in my room?"

The woman shook her head again and started making her way to the doorway on the opposite side of the room.

"I already told you darling, there is a time for every question, and now is not that time."

Kira huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, still holding the blanket up.

"Oh yes I forgot."

The little woman turned around suddenly, and yanked the silk blanket off of Kira, leaving her completely exposed.

Kira yelped in surprise and tried to cover herself, but the woman took no notice of her anxieties.

"Relax pup, we're both woman here, and as a matter of fact," she said tilting her head at Kira, "I used to look similar to your build when I was a pinky."

Kira couldn't even begin to imagine how the squat old woman before her had ever been slender and agile as she, but that wasn't what was confusing her.

"Pinky?"

The woman rolled her eyes and threw up her arms, sighing in exasperation.

"Well of course a pinky! I'm a mouse youkai aren't I? And young mice are called pinkies."

The woman shook her head again and opened the door into the next room.

"Come along dear, and don't be shy, you need a bath and your bandages changed."

Kira looked down at herself and much to her dismay found that most of her bandages were dyed completely red from her blood.

Getting over her nervousness about being naked in front of this strange woman, Kira followed dutifully behind the mouse youkai.

Entering the new room, Kira looked around the bathing room and gagged on the sharp scent of sulfur water.

"I know how sensitive inu-youkai's noses are and I apologize for the smell, but the water will help heal your wounds."

Kira didn't know how sulfur could possibly heal, but she didn't argue.

The woman began unwrapping Kira's bandages, being careful to be gentle with the deeper wounds, and eventually Kira was wearing nothing but the stains her blood had left on her skin.

"There," said the woman, checking Kira over to see that she hadn't missed any bandages, "now get into the water and wash yourself off, I'm going to go find you a kimono to wear while you do that, and – oh my, I forgot your tea! I'll bring that right in."

With that, the woman left the room, leaving Kira to her thoughts and the unwanted prospect of having to go into the bitter smelling water.

Sighing, Kira shook her head and made her way to the side of the large tub.

Slipping into the water, Kira immediately felt soothed. The sulfur slid comfortably over her wounds and took away any pain she had had, as well as remove any of the tainted blood that might have become infected.

Sinking into the water up to her shoulders, Kira sorted through the questions that were racing through her mind, trying to decide what to ask first once it was 'the right time'. Kira scoffed at the old woman's logic, but she had to admit, the woman was very caring, she was taking care of Kira while she was at her most vulnerable and Kira was grateful.

---

Kira soaked for nearly a half-hour before the little mouse youkai returned with a kimono for Kira to wear, clean bandages, a bottle filled with a pink colored potion, and tea.

"Relaxed are you?"

Kira nodded calmly, unable to move her body because of how _relaxed_ she was.

"Good then," said the woman smiling, "then you may ask your questions while you soak some more."

Placing the bandages, kimono, and potion on a shelf on the wall, the woman handed Kira a cup of tea.

Lifting her arms out of the water, Kira accepted the cup gratefully and pondered what she should ask first.

"What is your name?"

"Ah, very wise choice, introductions must come first. I am called Hana, and I already know you are named Kira are you not?"

Kira nodded and took a sip of tea.

"Well there must be other questions that you wish to ask, I know you do not wish just to know my name."

"Why is it that Sesshomaru saved me?"

Hana's face suddenly grew serious and she cast her eyes down into her tea.

"The first meaningful question you ask of me I cannot answer. I'm sorry child, but I am afraid that is a question for you to be asking of lord Sesshomaru himself."

"I understand." Said Kira, and silence filled the bathing room as both women took sips of their tea.

"Why is it that you call him lord?"

Hana seemed taken aback and looked at Kira with wide eyes.

"Why do I call him lord? Why do I call him lord! Why child, Sesshomaru-sama is the great demon lord of the western lands! Every youkai and human knows that! Silly girl where have you been to not know of Sesshomaru-sama?"

'Hell, that's where I've been.'

Kira didn't answer and took another sip of her tea, draining the cup. Handing the empty cup to Hana, Kira started to get out of the large wooden tub.

Taking the towel Hana offered her, Kira dried herself off, wondering what she would say to Sesshomaru next time she saw him.

Once Kira was dry, Hana handed her the bottle of pink potion and removed the cork from the top.

"Here child, rub this into your skin, but be careful not to get any in your wounds."

"What is it?" Kira asked, taking the bottle from Hana and sniffing it, it smelled like cherry blossoms and Kira smiled at the woman's thoughtfulness.

"It's a lotion, it helps keep your skin smooth as well as hiding that awful sulfur scent." Hana said winking.

Kira laughed at the woman's words and Hana closed her eyes and smiled at the sound.

"Laughter," she said, "so much better for the heart and ears than the sounds of tears hitting the ground."

"But Hana-san, you can't hear tears." Said Kira.

"Exactly my child, and sound is better than silence is it not?"

Kira smiled sadly and almost started crying right there. How long had she suffered in silence? How long had it been since she last laughed?

"Do not be sad Kira-sama, it is impossible to heal wounds with salt, that much I know. But I also know that though salt may not heal, it does rid of infections, but use too much and the wound will never heal."

Kira wasn't sure she understood everything Hana had said, but she knew what the woman had meant and smiled again for the mouse-youkai.

"Such a pretty smile you have." Said Hana, reaching up and patting Kira on the cheek, making her laugh.

"Now, I'm going to go wash out these cups, you put that lotion on you, and I'll be back to help you with your bandages."

Kira nodded as the woman left with the bowls and turned the bottle over, allowing the substance to pool in her palm.

Rubbing the mixture onto her legs, Kira worked the potion into her skin as she thought over what Hana had said earlier.

'Sesshomaru had been taking care of me while I was unconscious. Or at least that's what Hana had said. That couldn't be true, he's so heartless! He couldn't care less about me, he such an arrogant bastard why would he care? But then again he did rescue me…'

Just as Kira recorked the potion bottle, Hana returned to the room, muttering to herself happily.

Kira cocked her head to the side to try and catch what Hana was saying, but the old woman looked up at Kira and cut off her muttering as she smiled. Kira smiled back and bowed in greeting.

"Hello again Hana-san."

Hana giggled girlishly and looked up at Kira.

"Have you put on your lotion?"

Kira nodded and Hana smiled.

"Good, now, lets put some new bandages on you so you don't dirty your wounds."

As Kira bandaged the wounds covering her chest, Hana wrapped the healing cloths around Kira's leg wounds, humming to herself.

As they finished, Hana stood up and put her hands together.

"Well I think we did a good job. Are any of the bandages too tight or too loose?"

Kira shook her head and Hana's eyes shined in approval.

"Good, well then I suppose you should get dressed and return to your room."

Kira nodded as Hana picked up the kimono she had brought with her off of the shelf and unfolded it carefully.

Kira gasped as the intricate pattern was revealed and she brushed the tips of her fingers against the silky fabric timidly, cautious to not let her claws touch the material.

The kimono was a midnight black with brown climbing vines stitched onto it, making it look like they were growing up from the base of the outfit and the sleeves. The vines were decorated with blooming purple flowers edged with gold and Kira couldn't help but think this kimono was _made _for her. It matched her eyes perfectly, and looked to be exactly her size.

Smiling gently, Kira traced the edges of the golden edged collar of the kimono, sighing as she imagined it on her.

"Oh Kami Hana-san, it's absolutely gorgeous." She whispered, then looking at Hana with sad eyes, Kira backed away from the beautiful kimono.

"Hana-san, I can't wear that. I would ruin it, I know I would! I would never be able to forgive myself if something happened to it, and besides," Kira said, looking to the ground, "I'm not worthy of something so grand."

"Nonsense lady Kira, this kimono is worthy _only _of you." Hana said, coming to stand behind Kira and draping it over her shoulders.

Kira smiled to herself and slipped her arms into the billowing sleeves.

The material flowed smoothly over her skin, feeling like liquid air over her skin.

Taking one side of the kimono, Hana tucked it around Kira so that it fit tightly around her middle, and then brought the other side to cover that and hold the material in place. Hana wrapped the obi around Kira's waist and tied it tightly in the back. Adjusting the fabric so the kimono hung correctly, Hana giggled and clapped her hands happily.

"Oh lady Kira, you are so gorgeous! I was right, this kimono is worthy of no one but you!"

Hana sighed and took Kira by the hand.

"Come along now, come see how beautiful you are."

Hana tugged Kira happily into the sitting room and positioned her in front of a massive polished stone that was built into the wall.

Light reflected off of the flattened surface and as Kira looked at the boulder, it was beautiful yes, but she didn't understand what she was supposed to do with it.

"Hana-san? What's with the rock?"

Hana giggled and pointed at the shining stone.

"You look into it you silly girl."

'How am I supposed to see myself in a rock?' Kira wondered, but dutifully turned back to the stone.

Kira gasped when she looked into boulder again, she could see herself. Kira's jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

'Is that me?'

In the reflections of the polished stone, Kira watched as a beautiful dog demoness lifted her hand and touched her cheek, at the same time, Kira felt herself make the same movement.

"HOLY KAMI!"

Hana giggled and took Kira by the elbow.

"Come now lady Kira, time to go back to your room."

Kira nodded, too awestruck to know exactly what she was agreeing to, but allowed herself to be pulled away from her reflection without – much - complaint.

---

As the two women walked through the halls of Sesshomaru's castle, Kira thought of another question she wanted to ask the little mouse youkai.

"Hey Hana-san?"

Hana stopped walking and turned around to look at Kira. "Yes Kira-sama?"

"Where are my other clothes? You know, the one's I arrived here in?"

"Oh," said Hana in understanding, beginning to walk forward once again. "Your clothes are being washed and mended."

Kira nodded even though Hana couldn't see the gesture, and they finished the long journey back to Kira's room in silence.

Hana stopped at Kira's bedroom door, and turned to look at the younger inu-youkai.

"Hopefully I will be able to see you again soon lady Kira. Take care." With that, Hana bowed to Kira and turned to go back to her room somewhere in the depths of the castle. Kira smiled as the woman began humming to herself and was sad to see her leaving.

"Hana-san?"

Hana turned to look at Kira once again, her expression curious.

Kira hesitated a bit, but smiled gratefully and nodded her head.

"Thank you."

Hana smiled hugely and bowed once again before disappearing around a corner at the end of the hall.

---

Third chapter finished...(insert massive sigh here)...it's about damn time too. My schedule has been absolutely INSANE!I knowI promisedI would have this up by the 16th, which was like, two weeks ago, but my little brother was born and couldn't be released from the hospital because of 'complications', soI was at the hospital during all of my free time, so please excuse my lack of updates,I didn't exactly have the time to write, let alone do any of my hmwk. (sigh) Oh well, all is good at the moment, thus the next chapter...hope you enjoyed, and I'll get the fourth chapter up as soon asI can, no promised dates though, never know what might come up...however, I can promise it will be posted by April. lol.I would also like to mention that in this story, Sesshomaru has both of his arms, don't ask me why, it was just easier.

I'm also asking for drawings! If anyone would like to draw a character or scene from Freedom? please do so and email it to me at Firevixen49. an after firevixen, not a space) any drawings that are sent to me will be posted on the website i'm making (or at least i will have a website as soon as my sister gets off her a$$ and tells me how).Any drawings or even comix are welcome, and I'm begging for someone to tell me how to create a website so i _can _post them. Thanx!

Don't 4get to review! I need to know if u guys like the direction the story is going or if it just plain sux!

Luv to my readers!

...Laveda...


	4. Past pains

Disclaimer: No I do not own Inuyasha or any of the character associated with the show, HOWEVER, I do own Kira, and should you steal her you will pay. (Growls evilly)

Snapdragon: I take back what I said last chapter. Chapter **_FOUR_** is my favorite chappy so far. (smiles innocently) I hadn't written this chapter yet when I said that, so now I take it back because this one's better. Mwahahaha!

Shippo: (whispering) That evil laugh is kinda scary isn't it?

Kag, Inu, Mir, San: (nod violently)

Sesshomaru: I fear nothing.

Kira: (slides arm around Sesshomaru's waist) Oh really? (Raises eyebrow)

Snapdragon: (eye twitches at position of Kira's arm) _'he's mine…grrrrr' _

Sesshomaru: Really.

Kira: You didn't seem so calm when I told you that you couldn't have…(whispers in Sesshy's ear)

Inuyasha gang + Snapdragon: (?)

Sesshomaru: (eyes widen)

Inuyasha: HE'S SHOWING EMOTION! IT'S A SIGN OF THE APOCOLYPSE!

(Insert Laveda laughing her ass off here)

Sesshomaru: (Runs off towards the kitchen) IT'S MINE!

Everyone but Kira: (?)

---

_Previously…_

_Hana stopped at Kira's bedroom door, and turned to look at the younger inu-youkai. _

"_Hopefully I will be able to see you again soon lady Kira. Take care." With that, Hana bowed to Kira and turned to go back to her room somewhere in the depths of the castle. Kira smiled as the woman began humming to herself and was sad to see her leaving._

"_Hana-san?" _

_Hana turned to look at Kira once again, her expression curious._

_Kira hesitated a bit, but smiled gratefully and nodded her head. _

"_Thank you."_

_Hana smiled hugely and bowed once again before disappearing around a corner at the end of the hall._

---

As Hana disappeared around the corner, Kira turned away from the entryway to her room and strode down the hall contently, her bare feet making no noise as she padded down the long passageway.

She felt much better after finally allowing her emotions out after so long, but she couldn't help feeling that she had somehow betrayed herself.

She had managed to keep her composure, even during the tortures she had been forced through, for the last two hundred years. She never allowed tears to fall on any occasion, never allowed herself to get close to others, never let any one in, and had made absolutely sure that no emotions besides anger or indifference showed through her beautiful features. In truth, she had been proud of how strong she was, until today.

Today she had managed to be happy, frightened, desperate, uncertain, and unbelievably depressed. Worse yet, she had allowed herself to both laugh and cry, shows of strong emotions, a feat she had sworn away from her life, but more terrible still than these irreversible acts of shame, was the fact that there had been another present through her spontaneous flood of feeling, Hana.

Kira had seen first hand how opponents used their weaknesses against each other, using them to deflate the ego of their opponent to weaken them and use that opportunity to strike. Kira had seen this and more and had vowed against allowing herself to have weaknesses or feelings that put herself in that position.

And yet somehow, here she was.

Kira growled suddenly as she thought of Hana telling Sesshomaru of how the young demoness had broken down and how she had found her, huddled in a corner of the deepest level of the castle.

Baring her teeth to the empty hallway, Kira silently dared Hana to even try to take advantage of her. The old woman would be skinned and gutted before she finished gossiping of her disgrace to the lord of the western lands.

Kira stopped in her tracks and gasped at the horrific thoughts passing through her mind. Hana had been so kind to her, and here she was, plotting ways of killing the woman. Surely someone that had been so kindly and understanding towards Kira wouldn't betray her in such a way?

Kira started walking again, her legs feeling a bit numb after the shock of the thought of killing one of the very few people who had showed kindness towards her.

Kira's senses worked on full alert to warn her of everything around her as she treaded through the hall, but her mind was occupied with troublesome thoughts.

Even though Hana had been so kind to her, Kira couldn't help but fall back on her natural wariness regarding strangers as she tried to think of what to do to keep the woman from passing on her secret.

Kira replayed her conversation with the mouse youkai in her head, searching for any slip-ups on her part that might have told the woman about her past, but she came up with nothing useful and sighed in relief.

The entire time Kira had been with Hana, she had been the one asking the questions and Hana had simply been answering them, showing no interest in knowing of Kira's past until she was certain Kira wished to tell her. And needless to say, Kira didn't want to tell her. Kira was grateful on Hana's simple show of understanding, but all things considered, Kira still couldn't ignore her rebelling instincts. The instincts that were screaming at her to remember what had happened the last time she had ever trusted another, to remember that no matter what, she _must _stand alone, to protect herself and make her battle through life easier.

The thought of her past betrayals hardened her heart, as it had always been for the last two centuries, and Kira decided without hesitation not to trust the reassuring mouse youkai, no matter how kindly she had been.

Snapping herself angrily out of her thoughts, Kira focused on finding Sesshomaru. She wondered fleetingly if she would ever be able to make it back to her room without getting lost. She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts while walking through the vast mazes of hallways that made up the castle that she hadn't paid any attention to where she was going, letting her nose follow Sesshomaru's rather fresh scent for her.

Getting frustrated with her own carelessness, Kira took a deep breath to calm herself and cracked her knuckles absentmindedly, a habit she usually found herself fulfilling whenever she was feeling agitated.

Careful to keep her mind clear, Sesshomaru's scent eventually led Kira to a wide door at the end of a particularly wide and sunbathed hallway.

Instead of the usual Japanese styled sliding doors that separated the rest of the rooms from the halls, the massive double doors that led into the room that Sesshomaru now occupied were heavy and highly decorated, made completely from dark mahogany wood that shone from polishing.

It sounded weak, but Kira couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated by the enormous doors that reached almost to the ceiling and to either sides of the hall. She felt small before them, and the carvings of monstrous dog demons in their transformed states that adorned the solid masses only added to the alarming impact they left on their viewers.

Kira stepped closer to the carving of the demon nearest to the base of the doors and traced the line of its powerful jaws.

Her anger dissipated, she was drawn into the impressive piece of artwork. The demon's looked alive as their eyes seemed to glitter with the ferocity that was known with their kind and the strength they held.

Kira sighed dejectedly as she wondered if she still had the power to transform. The day before she had been captured had been the last time she had been in her true form, but attempting to transform would be useless, not to mention painful.

As she pushed herself deeper into depression, Kira's nose twitched involuntarily as she heard sounds filtering through the thick panel of wood. She didn't know how she hadn't noticed it earlier, and as she recognized Sesshomaru's low and even voice she remembered that he was the reason she was even standing outside the door in the first place.

'_Why did I come here anyway? I'll only humiliate myself even more if I confront him, but I suppose there's no avoiding that, we'll have to see each other again eventually.'_

Sighing, Kira tapped the door with a claw, only loud enough for Sesshomaru's hearing to pick up, and stepped back, preparing herself for what was sure to be an interesting visit.

'_Better sooner than later.' _Kira thought with an internal shrug, trying somewhat unsuccessfully to reassure herself.

"Enter."

Sesshomaru's deep voice made Kira cringe as she thought of facing the powerful demon Lord, but she pushed the resistant wooden doors open slightly despite her uncertainty and slipped through the gap she had made between them.

As soon as she had completely entered the room, she immediately closed the doors behind her, not trusting herself to stay in the room unless she did so.

Taking a deep breath, Kira slowly turned around to face the room's occupants, keeping her eyes firmly on the carpeted flooring.

Kira used her aura to discreetly probe the room, and Sesshomaru smirked as he felt her energy brush past him, pausing slightly to acknowledge him before moving on to map out the rest of the room's residents. Her ability to probe her surroundings did not go unnoticed by Sesshomaru as he watched her curiously. He had no power to do such a thing, and he mentally praised the girl before him for her capability to do so. The ability to probe with your aura was an extremely useful battle tactic, allowing you to know exactly where your enemy was without visually seeing them.

Clenching her jaw tightly, Kira found that there were more people in the room than she would have liked, and lifted her eyes to confirm her suspicions.

Two armed guards stood on either side of the massive doorway, watching her suspiciously as shifted their weapons threateningly, causing the blades of their katanas to catch the sun and glare angrily.

Kira growled low in her throat as the bull youkai to her left tilted his weapon in her direction. The guard, recognizing his mistake, hastily averted his eyes from the lady in the room.

Though unknown to Kira herself, her ranking as Sesshomaru's honored guest put her higher than any of the guards, and though she couldn't give them orders, they were still bound to concede to her wishes. Or in this instance – to leave her the fuck alone.

Snorting angrily at the bull youkai, Kira turned her gaze to the room she was in, and forcefully held back a gasp.

Cathedral ceilings towered high above her, crisscrossed with sturdy wooden beams to support the amazing architecture. Bookcases as high as the ceiling itself reached up majestically, thousands of books and scrolls held in their numerous shelves, the edging of each of the wooden shelf carved with vines and leaves. Ladders were placed in strategic areas, so books that sat on the highest levels of shelves could be easily retrieved without having to use precious energy to leap up as high as the bookcases did.

Sesshomaru's desk sat near a corner of the room, a wide bay window showing a vast green meadow outside the castle serving as a backdrop for the lavish piece of furniture and the throne-like leather chair that went with it. In this high backed seat was where Sesshomaru himself was seated, watching Kira contently as she took in her surroundings, at his right, a little human girl with a half ponytail and an orange and white kimono stood.

Kira eyed the girl for a moment before returning her gaze back to Sesshomaru. Without waiting for him to acknowledge her verbally, Kira crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the demon lord.

"I need answers."

Both of the guards flanking her sides raised their eyebrows at her demanding tone, and shifted their weight from foot to foot anxiously, not wanting to be the outlet of their lord's rage should this woman upset him by showing such disrespect. But if the guards had been surprised by her blunt order, it was nothing to how shocked they were at Sesshomaru's reaction.

"As do I Lady Kira, please sit down." He answered smoothly, gesturing to a seat placed in front of his desk.

Kira was taken aback by his formality, but blamed it on the presence of others in the room. As Lord of the Western Lands, he couldn't allow anyone to know of his close alliance with the Doberman demon before him, if you could call it an alliance at all. Both were bound to each other by debts that were yet to be repaid. Kira was grudgingly in Sesshomaru's dept for his rescuing of her and Sesshomaru for Kira's unnatural alertness and fierce hostility.

Sesshomaru hated to be in dept, and avoided falling into another's pocket as rarely as possible, but Kira had been a different matter all together. His past with the young demoness haunted him, and what made it worse was that she had never even met him, let alone heard of him before he had rescued her from her prison. She didn't know he was in her debt, for _her_ rescue of _him._

She had been exceedingly difficult to track down, therefore denying him the opportunity he needed to repay her.

Kira growled darkly again, causing the guards at the door to stiffen and snapping Sesshomaru out of his past memories and back to the present which involved a rather agitated Doberman bitch.

Kira sat down with her legs tucked underneath her in the western styled chair before Sesshomaru, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

She hated herself for listening to him, but the wounds covering her legs had begun throbbing painfully the longer she stood, and she could smell the masked scent of her blood as it leaked from beneath the bandages.

Everyone else in the room, save for the little human girl, noticed this as well, and where the guards cautiously inspected her for her injuries from a distance, Sesshomaru showed no emotion towards the obvious fact at all, and turned to the youkai at the door suddenly.

"Leave us."

As the guards scrambled to obey their lord's wishes, Kira fought to suppress her giggles at their pathetic state, and found her good mood returning.

Surprisingly, she had been rather content, maybe even happy, at the point in time when she had knocked on the door of the room she was now occupying, but when Sesshomaru's guards had dared to threaten her, needless to say, she got pissed. She could have killed the weaklings with out even trying for even thinking of challenging her, but out of respect for Sesshomaru (insert Kira gagging here), she had stamped down her rage and instead found herself wondering why he kept such weaklings with him, for _protection of all reasons._

As soon as the heavy doors thudded closed behind the guards, Kira's anger had subsided enough for her to be able to look at Sesshomaru without feeling she wanted to kill him for being the arrogant bastard that he was, and her features calmed considerably, this fact happily noticed by the little girl beside Sesshomaru.

Now that Kira was calmed and less dangerous to be approached, the girl cautiously stepped around the side of Sesshomaru's desk and towards Kira.

Sesshomaru observed the two females' reactions toward each other with a wrathful eye, should Kira show any violent behavior towards Rin, he would personally remove her head, regardless of his debt.

But as Kira turned her attention toward the human girl, anything but violence showed in her expression, as a matter of fact, she looked as if she was cautious of the girl. Her gaze was harsh and calculating, but not as though she wished to harm the girl, if anything she was suspicious of why the pup was so damn happy.

As Rin stopped to stand next to Kira, she reached out and gently grasped Kira's tail, bringing her tiny hand slowly across the silky black fur. She studied Kira's extra appendage with a serious air, a comical expression on someone so young. As Rin looked at the brown tip of her tail, Kira suddenly withdrew her tail from the little girl's grasp and smacked the top of Rin's hand with its end sharply, a tiny red welt forming where it made contact. Rin cried out in surprise, and clutched at where Kira had hit her, her eyes wide. Sesshomaru stood in one swift movement and Kira found his energy whip around her throat before she had even noticed the demon lord had moved, the glowing weapon singing the soft flesh of her neck.

"You will not harm Rin." He threatened, his voice closer to a growl than anything else.

Kira turned her head calmly to look at him, ignoring the whip around her throat, as it burned deeper into her skin with every move she made. She hadn't flinched, but kept an eerily calm expression on her face that clashed dangerously with the waves of fury that radiated off of her.

"If you care to notice Sesshomaru, I haven't harmed the girl. In fact, the mark on the back of her hand is already gone."

As she finished her sentence, Kira turned to look at Rin, jerking her head towards Sesshomaru when the little girl's attention was once again focused on her. Rin nodded quickly, understanding what Kira wanted her to do, before scampering over to Sesshomaru's side and lifting her hand up for his inspection.

True to her word, the small wound that Kira left upon the girl's hand had vanished almost instantly and the human was in perfect health. Kira had only surprised her with the sharpness of her punishment, but Sesshomaru didn't understand why she would have just scared the girl when she had the perfect opportunity to kill her.

"Why?"

His question was simply stated not to mention downright vague, but Kira understood his meaning and focused her golden-rimmed gaze on him in a challenge, daring him to think her reasoning uncouth.

"It was not her place to touch me, let alone my tail, without my permission. I simply taught her a lesson when it comes to manners, nothing more."

Sesshomaru could see the truth in her words and understood the logic, but the fact that she had harmed Rin, though not physically, still irked him, and he released Kira's neck from his whip rather reluctantly, glaring at the woman the whole time.

Kira didn't move to try to relieve the pain of her wound, but sat with her hands still folded in her lap before his desk, her posture set in an obvious challenge, and her eyes burning in rage. In whole, she looked extremely deadly and Sesshomaru had to admit, she was rather intimidating.

As the two dog demon's glared at each other, the blistered and burned line of skin around Kira's

neck that had been in contact with Sesshomaru's energy slowly healed, leaving nothing but a thin white scar just above her collar within a minute. The scar would disappear within a few days, but Rin, despite the fact that Kira had harmed her, still worried about whether the demoness was alright.

Sesshomaru and Kira continued to burn holes into each other with their death glares, and unnoticed by the both of them, Rin moved away from Sesshomaru and moved cautiously to stand in front of Kira.

Rin was nervous with Sesshomaru looking so angry at the female demon, and she didn't want him to be mad at Lady Kira. Rin now understood that Kira didn't like to be touched, and she had done it without asking first, which made Kira mad. Sesshomaru didn't like to be touched either, so Rin couldn't blame Kira for being a little mean.

"Um, Lady Kira?" Her voice was innocent and small, as though she was unsure of herself, and the sound immediately drew Kira's attention to the little girl.

Taking Kira's gaze as an answer, Rin swallowed and looked back up at the collared dog demon.

"May I touch your tail?"

Kira shot a suspicious glance at the girl's hands, as though wondering if talons would suddenly appear from the ends of her fingers, but nodded slowly before watching the girl move cautiously behind her so Rin could see her tail.

'_Why does Sesshomaru keep a human child with him? He doesn't exactly seem like a people person, let alone one for children.'_

Kira felt Rin's tiny hands once again around her tail, brushing gently against her fur as she pet her. When Kira didn't punish her for touching her tail, Rin gained her confidence back and played happily with Kira's tail, taking it in her hands to make it wag back and forth.

Kira allowed the little girl her fun for a moment before gently sliding her tail slightly from her grasp.

"That's enough Rin-san." Kira's voice was gentle but firm and Rin immediately dropped Kira's tail and stood in front of her, smiling happily at being allowed to touch Kira's tail.

"Thank you for letting me touch your tail Lady Kira. It's not as long or as fluffy as Sesshomaru-sama's but it's very pretty." She said politely, bowing to Kira as she had been taught to when thanking someone.

Kira smiled and nodded her head to Rin.

Sesshomaru watched as the ice in Kira's eyes slowly melted away the longer she looked at the little human girl, and eventually nothing of her earlier skepticism of the girl was left, leaving a remarkably beautiful smile in it's place.

Slowly sitting back down in his seat, Sesshomaru smirked at how hard Kira had tried to stay indifferent and angry towards Rin, needless to say, she had lost her battle.

Rin looked over her shoulder at Sesshomaru and he nodded his approval at her politeness before turning his eyes back on Kira.

"Kira-sama?" Rin asked turning back to look at Kira. "May I sit on your lap?"

Kira looked a little confused, but nodded and unfolded her hands from her lap as the little girl scrambled to sit on her legs.

When Rin finally made herself comfortable, curled up with her side against Kira's warmth and her head tucked under Kira's chin, Kira wrapped her arms around the little girl's body. Bringing one clawed hand up to stroke Rin's shoulder length hair, Kira carefully pulled her sharp claws through the coal black strands, brushing it smooth.

Rin sighed at the comforting touch and Kira smiled maternally. She knew what calmed her down, and it apparently worked on others as well, as Rin had fallen asleep in her arms, her light breathing warming Kira's shoulder.

Kira kept her eyes fixed on the floor as she brushed Rin's hair delicately, being frighteningly considerate at keeping her claws from cutting the young girl's scalp or of accidentally sheering off whole chunks of hair at a time.

As she felt the steady rise and fall of Rin's breathing against her chest, Kira's heart swelled in sadness and tears threatened to pool in her eyes.

She held herself firm, despite her emotions, and she effectively kept Sesshomaru from scenting out her tears, and she masked her aura against him so he wouldn't sense her grief.

Sesshomaru felt Kira put up a barrier against her aura, blocking him from her, and he wondered what it was that she didn't want him to know about. She looked so protective of Rin, with her arms wrapped around the girl tightly and her gentleness when handling her surprised Sesshomaru with how harsh she had seemed not ten minutes ago. He watched the girls contently and his inner beast growled approvingly at the sight. Kira would be a good mother.

Desperately trying to destroy the growing depression inside of herself, Kira tried to find a way to break the uncomfortable silence. Sesshomaru didn't seem fazed by how quiet it was in the room, but Kira couldn't stand it.

Finally looking up at Sesshomaru, Kira was instantly confused at the expression on his face. It wasn't the expression that confused Kira, it was the fact that he was actually _showing _an emotion, though she couldn't have, for the life of her, figured out what it was.

Finally succeeding in squashing her sadness, Kira removed the mask on her aura and smirked when Sesshomaru snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her.

"Are you back yet?"

Sesshomaru didn't catch the sarcasm in her voice, or he did and didn't approve.

"I never left Lady Kira."

Kira scowled and looked away, missing the smirk that flashed over Sesshomaru's features before disappearing.

"I do believe you wanted to talk to me? However, you do not seem very talkative at the moment, would you like me to start?"

Sesshomaru didn't wait for an answer and settled down for a long chat with the Doberman demoness. Before he could begin however, Kira's voice sounded, and though her voice was clear, Sesshomaru found himself wondering if she had actually said it.

"I'm sorry."

Kira stubbornly refused to look at him, but her eyes were full of guilt, and she had stopped brushing Rin's hair in anxiety.

"I accept your apology lady Kira, however, I know not what you are apologizing for."

"For running." she answered simply, her eyes downcast and her voice barely a whisper.

"I see not why you feel you need to apologize, though I admit to being rather curious about your actions."

The stress she was feeling and Sesshomaru's curt replies put Kira on edge, and her defensive anger kicked in.

"For my own peace of mind Sesshomaru, that is why I am apologizing." She snapped, loud enough to wake the dozing Rin who looked up at Kira almost fearfully.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said tonelessly.

Rin turned to face him timidly, her focus settled on the anxiety Kira was feeling that caused her aggression.

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sesshomaru kept his eyes locked on Kira threateningly, but Kira refused to back down and doubled the challenge in her eyes when he dared to look at her in such a manner.

"Go play, I must speak with Kira alone." His tone was icy and set Rin sliding off of Kira's lap and to the door immediately. She knocked on one of the heavy doors, and disappeared through the opening made when the bull youkai pushed it open. He paused after opening the door, curious to see what was going on inside the room, but a fierce growl from Kira set the door slamming shut behind him.

When the resounding thud of the door slamming shut made itself known, Kira found her anger slipping dangerously out of control, and her eyes were tinged once again with a bloody red.

"It was not your apology of which I was speaking of." Sesshomaru said suddenly, continuing their topic of conversation, easily ignoring Kira's blood-shot eyes and the merciless way in which she was shredding the cushioning of the chair she was sitting on beneath her claws.

Kira paused in her unstuffing of the chair and her eyes cleared, leaving them feigning confusion. Kira knew exactly what he was implying towards, but she wasn't about to willingly tell him of her reasoning behind her actions.

Sesshomaru fought the urge to roll his eyes at her childish actions. She knew exactly what he had meant and he knew it, her playacting didn't work on him as much as she wished it to. He waited patiently for her to answer him, but the long he waited, the more agitated the bitch got.

Kira's anger bubbled once again as her anxieties grew in the silence and she found herself on her feet and making her way towards the door. Just as she reached out to open it, stubbornly ignoring the fact that the guards could do it for her, Sesshomaru's low voice rang out, the tone revealing that he was a little more than miffed.

"We have not finished our conversation pup. You were not dismissed."

Kira swallowed down a scream at his arrogance, and gritting her teeth she closed her eyes tightly, clenching her fists in an attempt to dampen her rage. She couldn't get angry now, she had to save her energy for keeping herself from transforming into her demon form.

Releasing a breath in an angry huff, Kira turned to face Sesshomaru, who watched her inward battle with annoyed amusement. Truthfully, he had doubted her ability to contain herself, and had watched her victorious attempt attentively, studying with pleasure how deadly the clash between her beautiful exterior and burning interior made her.

"What do you want Sesshomaru?"

"Answers."

'_I was the one who wanted answers first.' _She thought sourly.

Kira wasn't surprised that he had turned her own demand against her, but his curt answer only served to infuriate her further.

Acting as though she hadn't heard him, Kira crossed her arms and looked past him, her gaze settling on the view of a grassy meadow outside the window.

"Do not ignore me pup, you will answer me, and you won't leave this room until you do."

Kira snorted indignantly. On one hand, he couldn't possibly keep her in here forever, but on the other, his very presence pissed her off and he would surely stay in the room until she answered him. She could always just leave and suffer the consequences, but she wanted answers as well. Weighing her options in her head, Kira's claws bit into the skin of her palms, causing them to bleed, as bitter thoughts of Sesshomaru passed through her mind, and she couldn't help the low growl escaping her throat.

Sesshomaru caught the fresh scent of her blood with satisfaction. Surely if she was angry enough to cause herself pain at her thoughts, then she had decided to answer him, either that or she was plotting ways of killing him, but he seriously doubted she would be stupid enough to do so when he had the major upper hand.

Growling angrily, Kira met Sesshomaru's gaze with what could only be described as pure and utter _loathing_. She couldn't have hated anyone more than she did Sesshomaru at that moment, and he acknowledged this obvious fact with a smirk.

"Sit down Lady Kira." His tone was slightly mocking, and held obvious amusement at her predicament.

Kira huffed again, forcing herself to refrain from going on a bloody rampage, and plopped back down in the, now unrecognizably mutilated, chair that she had occupied earlier.

As soon as Kira had sat back down, Sesshomaru immediately began his questioning, starting with the beginning.

"Why were you at the estate?" He began, taking note of how Kira stubbornly refused to look at him.

"Danshka wished me to be his pet." She spat it like it was a curse and crossed her legs angrily.

"Danshka?"

"My language."

Kira sighed when Sesshomaru didn't understand and glanced at him before fixing her gaze back out the window.

"Danshka is from the Doberman demon language, it means lowest breed. That is what I referred my captor to."

"And he allowed this?"

"He didn't know what it meant, but no, he didn't allow it."

"He punished you for calling him this?"

Kira snarled dangerously and blood once again made itself known as it dripped to floor from her palms.

"What do you think?" she whispered, her voice close to sounding beaten down and broken, but she veiled her true feelings with her anger.

Sesshomaru didn't say anything, but studied her reactions closely.

"You let yourself be captured by a lowly hanyou?"

"OF COURSE NOT!" she screeched, reaching her breaking point and jumping up from her seat, her fists clenched at her sides as she glared down at Sesshomaru who remained in his seat during her outburst, watching her calmly.

"HE WAS A COWARD! HE DRUGGED ME AND DRAGGED ME TO THAT HELL HOLE, I HAD NO CHANCE TO FIGHT BACK BEFORE HE PUT THIS DAMN THING ON ME!" she yelled, grabbing at the spiked collar around her neck and attempting unsuccessfully to pry it off.

"And what exactly is so bad about _that_?"

"I don't know _exactly _what it's supposed to do, but I do know that every time I try to transform or disobey a direct order, it shocks me." She said sighing, and sat back down in her seat.

"Interesting."

The glimmer in his eye unnerved Kira and she eyed him skeptically, as he seemed to drift off into his thoughts. Her thoughts confirmed when she saw him smirk; Kira sighed and closed her eyes to control her anger.

"Don't you dare Sesshomaru." She growled dangerously.

Sesshomaru's mask snapped back into place seamlessly and his eyes feigned innocence.

"Merely an idea lady Kira, nothing more."

"Better be just an idea or you might find yourself missing an arm when I'm through with you." (Couldn't resist lol) She said dryly, her words betraying the sense of unease that had settled in her stomach at the thought of Sesshomaru ordering her around without her being able to resist him.

Silence settled between the two and Kira shifted uncomfortably as Sesshomaru watched her, contemplating his next question.

As he studied her, she found herself wondering if Sesshomaru, the cold demon with an icy heart that sat before her, had ever smiled in his life. The more she thought about it, the more she doubted it. The more she thought about it, the more she tried to think of the last time she had smiled herself. Other than her time with Hana, Kira honestly couldn't remember the last time she had smiled, let alone laughed. The last time she could remember was when she was seven (in human years, ten in demon years) that was before he father had tried to kill her, and before her life had been forever tainted.

Sesshomaru's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she realized she hadn't heard anything that he had said.

"What?"

Sesshomaru fought the urge to sigh in impatience and his eyes burned in annoyance at her inattentiveness.

"I asked you how long you had been held."

"Oh. Almost a month I suppose." Said Kira shrugging

"How many others were there?"

"Not counting me, there were two other girls being held as well."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her statement.

"I believe there were more than two others Lady Kira."

Kira frowned in confusion.

"Nope, there was just me, a deer youkai, and that rabbit youkai who killed herself."

"I'm sorry to inform you, but there were at least nine others being held other than yourself, I simply wanted to know exactly how many others there were."

Kira shook her head in disbelief.

"I would have scented them out, how could they have hidden them?"

Sesshomaru shrugged, and Kira raised an eyebrow in surprise that he had actually _done_ the act instead of looking down on her like he always did.

Sesshomaru ignored her surprised expression, knowing full well of his mistake and settled down to interrogate her some more.

"Your scent was all over the guards, how exactly did they punish you?"

All the blood drained from Kira's face and her wide-eyed gaze immediately flicked to the door, contemplating whether she would be able to make it out before he caught up to her.

Her eyes flickered a desperate red as they settled back on Sesshomaru. He remained calm as he studied her reaction to the question.

Kira fought to keep her fear under control and forced her expression to turn icy.

"That is my business."

Sesshomaru eyed her dangerously, looking her up and down and wondering why she was suddenly so defensive.

_-Flashback- _

_Sesshomaru sat at the end of Kira's bed, watching as three healers wrapped her wounds after covering them with medicinal pastes. He turned his nose up at the stench and was amazed that the scent alone didn't pull Kira back to consciousness. Most of her wounds were just bruises and had to heal on their own, but it disturbed him that they nearly covered her entire body from her chest down to halfway down her thighs. All of her other injuries were rather large lacerations that covered her entire body, save for her face, and those were the wounds that the healers were working on. The bruises would disappear in just a few days, and he hoped she didn't wake up to see them before they healed, she might just pass out again from the sight. _

_A tall and slender lizard youkai turned away from Kira and faced Sesshomaru, her steely eyes boring into his._

"_Most of her wounds are in rather intimate areas my Lord, if you would kindly remove yourself until we are finished?"_

_Sesshomaru nodded and left the room, sliding the paper door shut firmly behind him. As the healers wrapped the unconscious Kira's wounds, they talked amongst themselves, and the conversation drew Sesshomaru's attention, making him curious to hear what they were talking about. Focusing his hearing on the three voices of the woman inside, Sesshomaru concentrated on deciphering their mumbled conversation._

"_I would be amazed if she ever woke up." Said a rather bossy voice, one Sesshomaru recognized as the lizard youkai who had asked him to leave._

"_I wouldn't **want** to wake up if I were her, if what these wounds are telling me is true, she had a terrible life wherever it was that she got them." This voice belonged to a butterfly demon, who was rather skilled in treating poisons. She had treated Jaken many times when he had stupidly gotten in the way of Sesshomaru's acid claws._

"_You don't think it was Sesshomaru that did this to her do you?" Asked the third voice, a badger youkai who was too assertive for her own good. _

_Sesshomaru fought down a snarl at her words, but remained listening to the conversation._

"_Don't be stupid." Snapped the lizard demon. "Sesshomaru is merciless in his ways, but he would never lower himself to rape a woman. Honestly!" _

_Sesshomaru nodded to no one in particular at the truth in her words, he would kill any female who opposed him, gender never made a difference, but he would never dishonor a woman by forcing himself upon them, that was just sick. _

_As dark thought reeled through his mind, Sesshomaru found himself suddenly shocked as he recalled **exactly** what the lizard youkai had said. _

_Kira had been raped. _

_Sesshomaru had killed everyone living in the estate except for Kira, but as he reflected on it he remembered the fact that **several** of the guards had been covered in Kira's scent. Sesshomaru regretted not taking longer in killing them, he should have made them suffer, let them bleed to death before him or force them to succumb to the slow and painful effects of his poison claws instead of just slicing off their heads. Anything to make them suffer as they had forced Kira to._

_-End Flashback-_

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed angrily as he remembered the day he had brought Kira back to the castle and had given her over to the healers.

'_So she had been raped.'_ He thought bitterly. _'One hell of a punishment. Judging by the number of guards her scent had been lingering on, not to mention the intensity her scent was, she had been punished rather frequently.'_

Sesshomaru couldn't stop the terrifying growl that tore from his throat suddenly, but Kira didn't flinch. She knew he had figured it out, and she lowered her eyes to the carpet in defeat.

"Do not be angry Lord Sesshomaru. I scented their blood as we were leaving, you killed them all didn't you?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but she waited for his answer despite the fact. Her voice was quiet and sounded broken from the inside, and her eyes kept flashing between agony and shame as she fought to contain her raging emotions.

Sesshomaru didn't trust himself to speak through his fury and nodded briefly. Kira wasn't looking at him to see his gesture, but felt his movement out with her aura and sighed brokenly.

"Then they are dead and my pain avenged. There is nothing more for it. I will heal." Kira was so ashamed of herself that she couldn't stand being in the same room as Sesshomaru. He knew her secret, and her worst fear had been realized.

Standing up stiffly, Kira made her way to the door, and reached out to knock for the guards to open it. Sesshomaru's voice caused her to stop however and without turning around, she acknowledged his call.

"Yes Sesshomaru?"

"There is no need to be ashamed. There was nothing that you could have done to have made it any different." Sesshomaru paused and Kira forced the lump in her throat down, wanting him to continue to reassure her. His deep voice soothed her broken soul and angry heart and she wanted nothing more but to be held in his arms as he comforted her while she cried, but she stood firm against her fantasy and waited for him to continue.

"I understand why you ran from me Lady Kira, and I apologize for not realizing my mistake sooner."

Kira's knees buckled and she grabbed the door handle to support herself but as Sesshomaru got up to help her, Kira held up a hand to stop him, still refusing to look at him.

"It was not your fault, everything would have caught up to me eventually, do not blame yourself for pushing it along a little faster." She smiled weakly looking at Sesshomaru's shoulder instead of his face; she wouldn't be able to bear it if he showed pity towards her. "The faster I accept the facts, the faster I get over it right?" Kira's eyes fell once again to the floor as she knocked quietly on the door, causing the bull youkai to once again open the door.

As Kira left silently, Sesshomaru still stood behind his desk, trying to erase her begging gaze. It was as though she wanted nothing more than comfort after suddenly suffering from the full effects of her 'punishments'.

When her tail disappeared around the edge of the thick wooden door, Sesshomaru felt Kira's aura once again probe the room. It moved slower than it had before, almost hesitant in its movements, as though ready to retreat at any moment in time. When the gentle aura found Sesshomaru, it lightly pushed against him and brushed its delicate fingers along the edge of his mind, silently seeking reassurance and binding itself with his own energy.

Sesshomaru stood behind his desk, stone still, as Kira's scent slowly faded. He unhappily noticed that the more her scent faded the more her aura disengaged from his own and silently returned to Kira.

Sighing in defeat, Sesshomaru stepped around the side of his desk and made his way out the open door. The guard had left it open after Kira had left, and was gazing after her in confusion, wondering what his lord had done to upset her so.

Sesshomaru growled at the guard as he left, making him snap to attention and shudder slightly at his lord's ferocity.

---

Kira stumbled down the infinity of hallways, blinded by grief and shame, her chest feeling as though it was about to rip open and reveal her entire past to the world. Her head was pounding with emotional pain as her body suffered physically, but as merciless as her torture was, no tears graced her beautiful features.

Groaning, she fell to the ground suddenly, the throbbing pains in her legs and between them becoming too much for her to stand. Scooting along the floor she backed up against a wall, using it to support her body as she jammed the heels of her hands into her eyes, trying to rid her memory of the frightening visions that were plaguing her.

As she saw her past flash before her, Kira realized just how terrible her life had truly been. Her father's attack on her, her banishment from the pack and the loss of her title, her mother's protection for her that led to the woman's downfall, the years of running, the betrayals, the daily tortures of life in the estate. Everything that had happened in her life had been a living nightmare, and it had all started with her father. The day he had tried to kill her had been the day all happiness was lost from her life, and the moment she marked her mother with her claws was the moment she sealed her fate. Everything in her life had turned dark that day, as Kira's vision was in the present.

Pushing her fists deeper into her eyes, nearly gauging them out of the sockets, Kira tried to force herself to forget but the harder she worked to close off her mind, the clearer the images got.

Pulling her knees up to her chest, Kira wrapped her arms around them and rested her forehead against her knees, sighing in despair. Would she never forget?

Stiffening suddenly, Kira swallowed down a groan at the pain the jerk of her muscles made. Someone was coming, she could scent them, and she had been to wrapped up in her own self pity to have noticed them before she had time to flee.

Kira bit down on her tongue painfully, hard enough to draw blood, as her own self-punishment. She should know better than to let her guard down. She was still in unfamiliar territory, inhabited by the only one who knew the extremities of her pains and she hadn't even had the common sense to be alert to protect herself.

'_Dammit, dammit, dammit!' _she screamed in her head. Kira tried to get up, but as the numbing medicines covering her wounds wore off, she found her body paralyzed in pain.

Kira could handle even the worst of pains with barely a flinch, but the bad thing about the phrase 'paralyzed in pain' was the paralyzed part. Just because she could handle the pain, didn't mean that she could move, and she sat on the floor of the hallway, unable to move to try and get away from the newcomer, or even to defend herself should the need arise.

'_It never hurt this bad before, why now? Of all times, why now?'_

Reaching out with her aura, Kira swept her subliminal vision through each of her surrounding hallways, searching for the unwelcome visitor.

She pushed it farther and farther through the mazes, mapping out every turn and doorway she came across in her mind, but finding no one in the hallways she searched.

Kira snarled angrily as her aura rebelled suddenly, refusing to continue. She had never pushed it to travel as far away from her as she was forcing it now, and it couldn't go any farther. Growling low in her throat, Kira pushed it harder despite the whine of its resistance that reverberated in her head. It traveled another five feet before stopping again, unable to continue, but not from resistance.

She had found her stalker.

Kira made her aura follow the demon closely as he drew nearer, and realizing he was heading straight for her, she immediately called her essence back to her. It returned as ordered and slammed back into her body as soon as it had reached its host once again. She felt the strain she had put it through as it reunited with her, and Kira immediately felt drained, her vision going hazy in fatigue and over exertion.

Attempting to stand and face her opposer, Kira's legs shook violently as she dug her claws into the wall to support herself. Kira was never one to back down from a fight, but her body didn't agree and collapsed despite her efforts to remain fighting.

Sinking down involuntarily to her knees, Kira bowed her head in defeat just as Sesshomaru rounded the corner.

---

I love how much emotion Kira is showing in this chapter, and considering she's been an ice cube for two hundred years, I would say that she's making some progress. Sorry about the cliffy though, I thought I should stop at twenty pages so I would have more than seven _**really**_ long chapters.

Snapdragon: (Smirks) I'm so mean. (Does the cliffy dance) Hahahahahaha!

Sesshomaru: (Face covered in whip cream foam) She has many issues.

Kira: Look who's talking (Points to beverage in Sesshy's hand)

Sesshomaru: My vanilla lattes have nothing to do this.

Kira: (rolls eyes)

Sesshomaru: (narrows eyes evilly) Are you implying that _**I, **_the great lord Sesshomaru, has issues?

Kira: When you start lapping up coffee like a dog, that would _imply_ that you have issues, yes.

Sesshomaru: (growls)

Kira: (Licks some coffee foam off of Sesshy's cheek)

Sesshomaru: O.O

Snapdragon: ( ) _'must – learn – to – control – anger!' _

Review or I'll unleash my rage upon you all!


	5. AN: Help please!

Ok ppls, this isn't a new chapter but don't leave without reading it otherwise it would have been a huge waste of my time!

I'm in desperate need of new Japanese names, the ones I keep thinking up SUCK, so I'm asking for your help. If you would be so kind as to e-mail me suffixes (that's what you call 'em right?) of names and their meanings so I can somehow put them together in a name that sounds ok.

Ok?

I'm looking for a name (for a female) that means 'energy of life' or something close to it. The meaning is important to the new story I'm writing, and the sooner I figure out a good name, the sooner I can post it.

And for all you Sesshy fans out there who are reading this, my story will have A LOT of Sesshomaru in it, so **the quicker I find a good name, the quicker you get your sexy Sesshy.**

Arigato!

-Lots of love-

Laveda


	6. Flight

Disclaimer: (sighs) Not this again…ok…ok…I don't own Inuyasha or anyone affiliated with the series. Is everyone happy now? Good, lets move along now, nothing to see…um…read here.

Claimer: I OWN KIRA STEAL HER AND DIE! (insert evil cackle here)

AN: You are not allowed to flame me after you read this chapter, and I would like to reassure you now, there WILL be a seventh chapter!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Previously…_

_Attempting to stand and face her opposer, Kira's legs shook violently as she dug her claws into the wall to support herself. Kira was never one to back down from a fight, but her body didn't agree and collapsed despite her efforts to remain fighting._

_Sinking down involuntarily to her knees, Kira bowed her head in defeat just as Sesshomaru rounded the corner. _

---

Kira raised her head slowly and gazed sadly into the amber eyes of the demon lord.

"What do you want?"

All of her pain was reflected in the simple question, but even as she said it, Kira eyed Sesshomaru suspiciously, waiting for him to come close enough for her to vent her pent up rage on him.

Sesshomaru took two steps forward, ignoring Kira's growl of warning, and stopped, squatting in front of her and watching her contently.

Kira bared her fangs tiredly, and backed farther against the wall to get away from him. The claws of her right hand were still jammed deeply in the wall from when she tried to get up, and she tugged her arm towards her, trying to dislodge them.

As she began to panic fearfully, Sesshomaru could feel her aura changing slightly, her emotions weighing heavily in the air as they took over her completely. He watched her quietly as she tried to escape his presence, but as hard as he tried, he couldn't call up enough of his cold personality to be amused by the image before him, instead it made him feel sick, a feeling he had never before felt in his life.

The beautiful demoness before him was completely helpless. Trapped to the wall by her own claws, her physical pain only allowing the most basic of movements and her emotional state blinding her from reality, making it impossible for her to function properly enough to even think of how to free herself.

Sesshomaru reached forward and grasped the wrist of her trapped hand gently. His touch startled Kira and she slashed forward with her free hand blindly, her eyes wide and unseeing. Sesshomaru easily blocked the blow and grabbed her other wrist as it cut through the air towards him, trapping that one as well so that Kira was completely defenseless.

Sesshomaru sighed as Kira turned to look at him, her eyes were glazed over in confusion and she couldn't understand what was going on. She watched Sesshomaru fearfully as he gently tightened his grasp on her wrist and lightly yanked it out of the wall, freeing her claws from her self-inflicted trap. Kira continued to stare at him with wide-eyed innocence, and as Sesshomaru glanced back up at her face, he had to do a double take when he saw her eyes. Usually her eyes were a deep royal purple speckled with black and rimmed with gold, but now as he looked into her astonishing orbs, they shifted in waves between the three colors eerily.

"Lady Kira?"

Kira jumped at the sudden sound of his voice and her eyes widened further. She didn't recognize him at all. Her fear had blinded her to such a degree that, as her heart flitted like a startled rabbit in her chest and her breathing became shallow, she was convinced that the dog demon was going to kill her.

Sesshomaru didn't know what was wrong with her, or why she would look at him in such a manner, but despite his confusion he released her wrists, allowing her to skitter away from him as soon as she was freed.

But she didn't move.

Kira continued to stare openly at Sesshomaru, tracing his features with her eyes, hardly breathing for fear that the sound would cause him to rush at her and slit her throat. As these thoughts played through her mind, she saw them happening before her, as though watching a film clip revealing how her death would occur – at the claws of the white haired youkai.

'_This woman has gone mad.' _Sesshomaru thought.

He remained composed on the outside, but was utterly confused throughout.

'_How in the seven hells am I supposed to repay my dept to a mad woman?' _

Kira just continued watching him, and as her gaze passed over his amber eyes, the movie in her mind stopped. This demon wasn't going to kill her, in fact he hadn't moved at all, just watched her calmly as she died again and again in her mind.

A strange emotion flickered in the golden eyes, as the two demons studied each other, and something clicked in Kira's mind.

A flicker of remembrance flashed over her features before her fear disappeared and was replaced by the terror of not understanding what was happening to herself.

'What is wrong with me?'

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the voice echoing through his head as he searched her eyes for clues of how she was doing this.

"You are having an emotional breakdown." He said out loud, unsure of how to communicate with her when she was in his head.

If she was in his head, could she read his thoughts? Could she see what he saw, know what he knew? Sesshomaru didn't like that idea at all, but if there was some way in using this new development to his advantage, he would accept it, but not without being cautious. He didn't know the extent of her power, and wasn't exactly willing to test it.

Kira cocked her head to the side slightly as though trying to see as much of Sesshomaru as she could, her color shifting orbs fixed on his amber ones.

Her eyes flashed in recognition and she smiled gently as she brushed her hand lightly across his cheek, watching her own fingers as they traced the red markings under his eyes, before looking back into his amber gaze.

"Sesshomaru." She sighed the name, the syllables coming out barely in a whisper.

Kira's expression suddenly went blank as she sighed in exhaustion, her smile fading, and the coloring of her eyes once again returning to their original state, before she hesitantly crawled into his lap and curled up against his chest.

Sesshomaru looked down at her huddled form as she looked to him for comfort and he couldn't figure out what had brought this sudden show of desperate affection from the girl.

Blaming it on her out-of-control emotions, he slid an arm under the crook of her legs carefully and wrapped the other around her back, bringing her closer against his chest as he stood up and made his way to her room, Kira nestled safely in his arms.

---

As Sesshomaru carried Kira through the mazes of passages expertly, she seemed to be returning to her corrective mindset.

Very.

Slowly.

She hummed a tuneless song to herself as she traced circles on Sesshomaru's chest happily, every now and then looking up to smile broadly at the demon lord before returning to her play.

Sesshomaru sighed mentally every time she did this, and silently prayed to the gods to speed up her recovery, her happy and child-like attitude was putting him on edge.

Sesshomaru walked through the many hallways for nearly ten minutes before finally reaching the sliding door leading into the room Kira was staying in.

Pushing it open smoothly, Sesshomaru glided into the room silently and gently discarded Kira on the bed. She tucked her legs underneath her as she was released and looked up at him innocently.

As Sesshomaru turned his back and made to exit the room, Kira spoke up, her voice quiet and confused.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sesshomaru stopped midway to the door and turned his head to show he had heard her.

"Are you angry with me?"

He sighed quietly, already willing himself to be back in his study.

"No Kira, I am not angry with you," he said, turning around to look at her.

Kira looked sad and uncertain as she played with the stitching on her kimono.

Tracing a claw along the golden outline of a large purple flower on the thigh of her outfit, she chewed on her bottom lip anxiously, as if trying to decide what to say. Sesshomaru fought back a growl at her uncertainty. Lady Kira was NOT one to be uncertain, that much had been made perfectly clear the first time he had seen her.

"Stop doing that."

Kira stiffened at his tone and slowly raised her head to look up at him. Her bottom lip was still trapped under her teeth, and her fangs dug into the soft skin dangerously, Sesshomaru could already see the bruises forming.

Sesshomaru raised his chin slightly and looked down at Kira. Recognizing his body language, she immediately released her slightly swollen lip and began to grovel pathetically.

Bowing her head, she submitted to Sesshomaru by showing her neck and she refused to meet his gaze. She yipped quietly, begging forgiveness in the inu-youkai language as she continued to fidget with the her kimono.

The demon inside of him growled approvingly at the sight of the demoness cowering under his power, but somehow Sesshomaru didn't swell with masculine pride. Instead he felt like beheading her for such show of weakness. Such a strong woman should never bow down to anyone; she was insulting herself to do so.

Sesshomaru briskly strode forward, causing Kira to flinch at his powerful stride, and towered over her when he stopped in front of her.

"Stop this Kira."

Kira simply yipped submissively again without looking at him, and Sesshomaru's temper flared.

"Look at me." He snapped, forcefully grasping her chin and yanking her face upward towards him. Kira's eyes widened at his aggressiveness towards her and stared frightfully into his eyes. He was glaring at her, his eyes narrowed, his pupils barely slits, and what was worse, his grip on her chin was gradually increasing, making his hold on her almost painful. Kira may be scared, but she wasn't going to roll over on her back for this overly egotistical dog. He was hurting her and she was NOT going to stand for that.

Fear completely drowned out by her anger, Kira began to remember herself and as Sesshomaru continued to add more pressure to his grip, Kira's eyes began to bleed red.

"Don't you dare touch me." She snarled, her warning barely audible. Sesshomaru heard though and smirked, grasping her chin a little tighter.

"I said," she whispered icily, barely able to keep herself from transforming, "don't TOUCH ME!"

Kira launched herself from the bed, intent on hurting Sesshomaru, and collided viciously with his chest, causing both demons to lose their balance. As they fell, Kira somehow managed to fall _under _Sesshomaru with him on top of her, and she replayed her last action in her mind to try and figure out how she had gotten there, she had been trying to knock him down, not end up underneath him. His weight pressed down on her, though not uncomfortably, and she could feel his even breathing against her chest as his ribs expanded to take in the air. She shifted angrily to try to escape and Sesshomaru smirked.

"Hm. Interesting move lady Kira, but I daresay you could do better."

Kira snarled and threw him off furiously. Sesshomaru landed on his feet smirking as Kira pushed herself off of the ground. Fighting against her rage, and her battle instincts, Kira reluctantly turned her back on the demon lord, wanting desperately to slash him to pieces.

"Don't even start Sesshomaru, I will not be toyed with." She ground out through clenched teeth.

Hugging herself around the waist she bit on her tongue angrily in an attempt to stamp down her transformation instincts.

"Having trouble containing yourself? I apologize if I'm not much help."

Kira whirled around to face him and grasped him around the throat with one clawed hand before he could react. Sesshomaru didn't move to block her off, and simply watched her. Her teeth were clenched tightly and her breathing was heavy, as though her forced controlled anger was causing her pain.

"Don't push me Sesshomaru." She dug her claws threateningly into the skin of his throat as she spoke, but barely deep enough to draw blood, her actions only served as a warning and she bared her teeth before releasing him roughly and storming out the door.

Sesshomaru watched her go before silently following. Pissing her off was extremely entertaining on his part.

Kira nearly flew down the long hallways and passages of Sesshomaru's castle, and she gladly noted that she had quickly gotten herself lost. Every flight of stairs she came across she ran up, trying to get as far away from Sesshomaru's scent as possible.

Gasping for air, she finally reached a door at the top of a dizzying circular stairwell, and shoved it open violently. Warm air slammed in her face, and the sound of blowing wind filled her sensitive ears. She had closed her eyes as soon as she had opened the door, and now allowed her senses to guide her. Her aura begged to be released to explore her surroundings and protect her, but Kira easily quieted down it's request.

She didn't want protection right now, she just needed herself brought back to her.

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Kira used it to calm her raging spirit.

Dropping her arms to her sides, she took a gentle step forward, her sight blackened and her aura frantically pleading for its release to guard her, from herself if nothing else. Moving slowly, almost sad in her movements, Kira was perfectly content. Gusts of welcomed air brushed past her curiously, gently pressing against her body and flowing through the thin silk kimono covering her slender form.

Opening her eyes, Kira gasped at what she saw. She stood at the top of the highest tower of the castle. Stone railings surrounded it protectively, blocking in where she stood.

Vast green forests opened up before her, nearly a mile below where she stood, stretching as far as her demon eyes could see. She couldn't breathe, she was so small compared to all of this. She was hypnotized by the idea and it sent involuntary shivers down her spine. Her past seemed to rush back to her as she watched the rippling boughs of the trees far below her. She stood staring out at the lands and yet at nothing for longer than she could have ever imagined.

The high screeching call of an eagle demon startled her out of her out of her reverie and her head snapped up to gaze in the direction of the mountains, towering over the trees with their sheer cliffs and angry pointed peaks.

Her breath coming out in short pants, unable to take the sight anymore, she turned back to run back through the doorway and away from the hidden maliciousness of the lands she wondered over.

Kira whipped around to escape the sight and nearly collided into the great white haired demon lord of the castle himself – Sesshomaru.

She gasped and stumbled back, cursing herself for not allowing her aura to watch out for her.

"What do you want? Haven't you followed me enough today? I would have thought you would have had enough fun by now." She snapped after quickly regaining herself.

Sesshomaru didn't answer, and turned his gaze to the view.

Kira crossed her arms and glared at him, but of course, he didn't acknowledge her.

"Get out of my way you worthless bastard."

Sesshomaru's eyes flickered red before he gained control and turned his sight on the girl before him.

She wasn't allowing any emotion to show and kept her expression as angry as she could.

"No."

Kira, surprisingly, just shrugged, confusing Sesshomaru slightly, but he didn't let it get to him.

"Alright."

Kira turned back around to face the forest and, without warning, leapt over the edge to fall the mile long drop.

Sesshomaru eyes widened and he went to the edge of the railing, waiting to see her broken body at the base of his castle when he looked down.

---

Kira closed her eyes as the air rushed up past her and smiled lightly, her arms spread out at her sides as though she were truly flying. She felt like she was soaring above it all and as her dark kimono whipped around her she finally felt _free_. The air seemed endless as she fell, but it ended eventually, and as solid ground rushed up to swallow her, Kira rose to meet it with a dangerous glint in her eye.

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THERE WILL BE A SEVENTH CHAPTER! YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HURT ME BECAUSE OF THE END OF THIS CHAPTER! But if this had been the end of the story, I must say…I would have been a REALLY sucky ending…

Anyway…I hope you liked this chapter, it was really hard to write actually…so I hope you enjoyed!

Any tips or suggestions on how to improve this story, or my writing in general are welcome in reviews or e-mails.

I also have a favor to ask of you readers…I have started two other Inuyasha fanficcies (one based off my life, and another normal fanfic) while I'm working on this one, and I would absolutely LOVE it if you read them and reviewed! I need help with names as well, if there are any suggestions…

LOVE TO MY REVIEWERS!

- Laveda -


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